Broken Glass
by Taisi
Summary: AU. Naruto and Sasuke were two orphan boys with everything in common, who met by chance in the hospital. One had just gotten over the flu, and the other had an internal disease that was slowly eating him away from the inside out. -No yaoi!
1. Part 1

**First ever Naruto fic, if you don't count that little Hina/Naru oneshot. T-T Anywho, this isn't yaoi or shonen ai or whatever. **_**So sorry. **_

**By the way-in all the fics I've read so far, it's been Sasuke with the problem, and the innocent, betrayed Naruto who helps him out. -rolls eyes- **_**Wow. **_**So, yeah.**

**I don't own Naruto. I could talk to you forever about it, get in several heated debates, analyze characters, and fight over whose the best, but I can sincerely-and regretfully-say I don't own it.**

_Broken Glass (Part 1)-_

_For the First Time_

He'd been an orphan since before he could remember. He had nobody; but he got by okay. Everyone at the orphanage was extremely nice to him, so he technically had a family, if not blood-related. He was happy enough; he had tons of brothers and sisters. Lots of parents. Why wouldn't he be happy?

No one knew him. People were kind, smiling at him, patting his head as they passed him by. Kids would wave a greeting in his direction when they saw him, but wouldn't invite him into their conversation. Behind his dark eyes was a glass wall; inviting people to look, but never to come in. He smiled. He laughed. But happiness was just a word to him. When it was said, he felt no vague memory surface of a sunny day in the park, or an overcast day spent indoors with friends; all that came up was an indirect definition.

But one day changed all that; it was more of a gradual process, but this was the spark to create a flame.

It was the day he got the flu; the orphanage's doctor was gone, meaning he had to go to the hospital, just to make sure he was well enough, and that his virus wasn't contagious.

The ride had been uneventful. Sasuke wasn't nervous; he just sat quietly in the front seat, peering over the dashboard of the van as they drove down the highway. His strangely intense gaze watched everything with quiet study, uninterrupted until the supervisor of the orphanage glanced over at him. "Sasuke, don't be nervous. I'm going to let you stay the night at the hospital so the nurses and doctors can look after you; then first thing tomorrow I'll pick you up. 'Kay?"

The nine-year-old turned from the window and met Mr. Kakashi's gaze. "Yessir." He didn't bother saying he wasn't worried; he'd long since learned that adults liked to see things their own way, and that there was little stopping them once they had a view on something.

He'd allowed the doctors to give him medicine. He'd allowed them to explain it's _every _purpose and _how _it would make him feel better. Sighing, he threw on a big, earnest smile that adults seemed to love, and let his mind wander.

The night went by uneventfully. He'd fallen asleep watching TV-didn't these people know that some kids his age liked to _read? _And when he'd opened his eyes, it was morning. The nurse had come in, taken care of him, cooing like a lark, and he'd tolerated it. She'd taped the arm over the tender area she'd injected the syringe in, and made him pick a brightly colored bandage. He chose navy-blue. No way would he walk around with a yellow smiley face on a bright red background sticker stuck to his arm.

He shoved his hands into his pockets and followed the woman silently as she led him into the lobby. She assured him that Mr. Kakashi had just called, and would soon be there to pick him up, and then she swept away quickly to help with new arrivals.

Sasuke surveyed the room with little-to-no interest. Magazines about pop idols he knew nothing about, nor cared to; brightly colored picture books for children under the age of two (More like teething toys from the looks of them...Sasuke was sure he'd drop dead and die of some illness caried around by babies who chew on public books.); tiny little plastic toy cars; a TV some old guy was watching golf on.

He sighed and was about to throw himself in a chair to wait for his ride, when sudden commotion caught his attention. Frowning-what was so much noise doing in the hospital? Was it some particularly painful surgery?-he stood and walked from the lobby into the hall labeled, "Intensive Care"; in time to see a boy his age dash around the corner with an impossibly mischevious grin on his face. Panting, he stopped a few paces in front of Sasuke, not seeing him at first, and rested his hands on his knees, panting wildly.

When he glanced up, Sasuke found himself gazing at two extremely bright blue eyes. He blinked, eyes burning from the sudden color shift, a change in bright white hospital walls to bright blue eyes. The blue-eyed boy grinned, tossing his head back a bit to get a few loose strands of hair out of his eyes. "Hi!" he said enthusiastically. "I'm Uzumaki Naruto! Good to meecha!"

This was Uchiha Sasuke's first insight into the possible making of a new friend. For the first time in his life, he didn't know how to react.

"Umm...I'm Sasuke..." he said softly, eyes wide.

Naruto grabbed his hand and pumped it up and down in a vivacious handshake. "Excellent! I-"

Suddenly about eight of the hospital's staff sped onto the particular hallway the two boys were on. "THERE HE IS!"

"Oh, snap-" Naruto raced past Sasuke and tried to make a break for the exit door at the end of the hall; but he was surrounded. He raised his fists, the action surprisingly instinctive for an nine year old. "Oh yeah? C'MON! I'll take _all _of you on!"

Sasuke could've laughed; a real laugh, and that surprised him. He settled for a bemused expression; _what has this kid done to get the staff mad? Vandalism? Too bad-he seemed nice..._

"You're in no condition to be running about like this, Naruto," a nurse said, concern evident on her face.

Shocked, Sasuke whipped around to look again at the boy he'd just met. He wore shorts and a T-shirt, and his right arm from the elbow down was bandaged, concealing his fingers as far as his knuckles, as was his forehead. He had medical tape on his left wrist, as though to act as a brace.

_I...didn't notice...? _Sasuke thought furiously, watching this strange Naruto boy. _He seemed so lively, happy...I didn't notice he was beat up...Who would beat up a kid?_

"Aww, come on," Naruto drawled lazily. "It's not _that _bad. I-"

"The last time you snuck out, someone beat the living daylights out of you," another man said, pleadingly.

"That's cuz they snuck up on me!" Naruto shot defensively.

"You shouldn't be moving around like this! We told you to stay in bed!"

"It's not like I'll heal any faster! I need...uh...need exercise! Yeah, that's it..."

Sasuke watched as they dragged Uzumaki Naruto back to his room. Before they rounded the corner, Naruto got one arm free. "Hey! Sasuke! Let's be pals, 'kay? See ya 'round!"

Sasuke raised his hand to wave back, but the doctors had already yanked Naruto down the hall. He slowly returned to the lobby, where Mr. Kakashi was waiting.

He mused something over on the way home, not paying attention when Mr. Kakashi tried to start conversation, and locked himself in the small attic of the building he'd claimed to think over the idea some more;

_"Let's be friends."_

_

* * *

_

As Naruto lay sleeping in the bed, the doctor and nurse looked over him in concern. "We sedated him. ...His condition is growing steadily worse, Doctor," the nurse said softly, eyes heavy with fear as she handed the doctor the clipboard. "He's too energetic; he can't just lie in bed. He gets no visitors; no one knows he's alive...Maybe that's why he sneaks out all the time; just so someone will notice him..." She sighed fretfully. "At this rate, he'll never make it-and I think he knows that."

Doctor Iruka looked over the clipboard and then layed it down, pinching the bridge of his nose between his thumb and index finger.

_"At this rate the boy will die."_

**So. How was that? Too OOC? I'm sorry...TT-TT The idea struck me, and I had to comply...Reviews?**


	2. Part 2

**Okey-day, next chapter! Not much to say, so let's get started. /\./\ I could have made this into a BRILLIANT crackfic, but I restrained myself. XD**

_**Standard disclaimed applies.**_

_Broken Glass (Part 2)-_

_Regular Visitation_

Sasuke asked if he could go to the park for the day. Kakashi had looked at him oddly, and asked if he'd like a ride, or adult supervision. Sasuke had politely said no, and was permitted to walk across town to the park, which was conveniently across the street from the hospital.

* * *

Naruto winced, growling silently as the nurse slid the needle into the tender skin under his elbow. His hands slowly curled into fists, clenching his blankets tightly as he fought the pain. The nurse made soothing noises, patting his trembling hand as she injected the medication into his arm, slowly pushing the syringe until it was empty. Naruto gritted his teeth, closing his eyes tightly, waiting desperately for the drug to take effect.

On the bed, a little orange fox about the size of a house cat curled into his lap. Its huge burgundy eyes were deep and flecked with scarlet; it mewled slightly, stroking it's head against Naruto's tense hand in a very kitten-like manner.

The nurse's eyes softened, face enveloping into concern. The boy uttered not a sound as he sat there; for a few, overwrought moments, she watched as slowly the medicine began to take effect, and the boy's tensed limbs relaxed. He sighed, face easing into a smile, and then he glanced at her.

"I'm feeling better now," he said easily, eyes already lightening. "Thanks." He sighed. "I'm guessing since I told you I hurt, I can't go outside?"

She smiled. "'Fraid not, kiddo."

"Damn," he pouted, throwing himself back on his pillows, rolling onto his side, so his back was to the wall, propping up his head with his good arm. "Now I've got to go through all the trouble of sneaking out." His fox crept up alongside him and curled into the hollow he made with his chest and warmed his tender arm. "What do you think, Kyuubi? Shouldn't they just give up? We'll always out-fox them, right, boy?" Kyuubi barked an affirmative and began washing his soft orange paws.

The nurse frowned. "You'd better not, Naruto Uzumaki. Besides. There's someone here to see you."

For as long as he'd been at the hospital, it'd been the first time he'd heard those words. He blinked. "Visitor?"

The nurse had to smile at his bewildered expression. "Should I let him in now?"

"Uhh, sure," the blonde said, uncertain what to expect. Kyuubi crawled into his favorite perch on Naruto's head, looking as intently at the door as his boy was.

A raven-haired head peered in. Naruto's anxiety eased and he grinned broadly as he recognized the boy he'd met and talked with for a few brief moments the day before. "Oy, Sasuke! What're you doin' here?"

Sasuke shoved his hands into his pockets, speaking more confidently than he felt. "I just thought I'd come by..." Seeing Naruto's freshly bandaged arm, he continued quickly, "But if you don't want me here, I can-"

"What, are you nuts?" Naruto said, laughing; Kyuubi made a purring noise, the fox's equivalent to laughter. "Come on in!"

The nurse smiled as the Sasuke boy went in, and she closed the door behind her as she stepped out into the hall. Her smile faded as she looked around at all the other Intensive Care patients; most were elderly men or woman, or extremely sick young children, or people in a near-death coma; no other nine-year-olds. _Hopefully, this friend will prove all Naruto needs to survive his treatment...Dr. Iruka told me that if he makes it to June, the chances of his survival would be so much greater than they are now... _She glanced at the calendar hanging on the wall. May 19. _Hold on a bit longer, Naruto._

_

* * *

_

Sasuke gazed around the room as he walked in, taking in how personal it appeared. His room had been the plain white; plain white bed, plain white sheets, plain white walls, and a metal bedside table. This room was extremely different. There was a wooden desk, with peices of drawing paper, pencils and colored pencils, a black cap, volumes of books stacked haphazard, and a brush, bristled on both sides (for Kyuubi). There was a single chair in the room; unlike all the other chairs in the building, this one was un-cushioned, straight-backed and hard wood. It was placed at the window, facing the glass like a sentry had taken up station there, and then suddenly left on a whim, leaving it as it was.

Nonetheless, Sasuke began to drag it to the bed. Naruto made a face. "That's a really uncomfy chair." He drew his legs up to him and sat tailor-style, patting the vacant half of the bed. "You can sit here. It's comfier."

"Nice grammar," Sasuke said wryly, sitting on the edge of the bed. Naruto smiled hugely; Sasuke began to realize he wouldn't have to worry about insulting his new friend, who knew very well how to laugh at himself.

"I didn't think you'd take me seriously," Naruto said sincerely, sitting up again and cupping the back of his neck with laced fingers. Kyuubi was still poised on the blonde boy's head, and was peering at Sasuke with curious eyes. Sasuke made the "go on...?" face, so Naruto continued, "When I said we could be friends. Honestly, I thought you'd ignore me."

"Well, I took you at your word," Sasuke retorted, unsure whether or not Naruto was joking. But Naruto smiled warmly and nodded, so obviously he hadn't been. "Nice room. ..Different...but much nicer."

Naruto looked at him dryly. "I'd die of mass hysteria if I had to stay in a plain white room. It would drive me _completely _insane."

Kyuubi jumped down from Naruto's head to land soundlessly on the bed. He nosed at Sasuke, inspecting him, sniffing him expertly. Aparently, the obsidian-eyed boy passed the fox's approval, for he rubbed his head against Sasuke's hand.

"You have a fox?" Sasuke asked, slightly awed by the delicate creature as he stroked it gently; from its soft head to the white tip of its tail.

"Yeah. I found him a while ago, just before I came to the hospital. He stuck with me, so I decided to keep him. The doctors kept trying to throw him out, but he always outmaneuvered them, so they finally give up. But it's obvious they like him; when they come to see me, they'll always bring him treats."

Sasuke grinned at the though; he liked the mental picture Naruto drew of several doctors chasing a little fox out of the hospital, then turning around and finding it back with its master again. "What's his name?"

"Kyuubi."

"Kyuubi?" Sasuke scratched the little thing under its chin gently; it shut its eyes and warmed to the touch, making that happy purring sound.

After that, neither boy could think of anything to talk about. Sasuke absently stroked Naruto's pet, which fell asleep draped across Naruto's ankle.

There was a knock on the door, breaking the awkward silence. Naruto called, "Come in!" then made an apologetic face when he woke Kyuubi.

A man in a white coat with a scar across the bridge of his nose stepped in, with a tray, on which was a steaming bowl, an apple and a chilled cup.

Naruto's eyes brightened. "Iruka, sir!" He sat up straighter, in obvious respect.

Hey, Naruto," Dr. Iruka said with a smile, tousling the youth's blonde hair affectionately as he set the tray down on the bedside. Then he noticed the quiet Sasuke, who slid off the bed quickly. "Well, who's this?"

"Uchiha Sasuke, sir," he said respectfully, unsure how to act; normally he wouldn't have been so respectful, but Naruto seemed to trust this man.

"No need for formalities," the man said waving it off. "Call me Iruka. So, you're a friend of Naruto's?" The words were foreign on his tongue, but had a good taste.

"Umm, yes, sir. We met yesterday."

Iruka smiled and opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off by a rather large groan from Naruto. "Iruka-sir!" he moaned, prodding the gray porridge in the bowl with his plastic spoon apprehensively; from the way he looked at it, he was almost afraid the bowl's contents was going to eat him instead of the other way around. "What _is _this? Can't I have some-"

"No, Naruto, _no ramen." _Iruka sighed, rubbing his temples. "Can't you understand that you need to eat healthy if you want to get better?"

_"That's _healthy? _That? _It's almost _alive." _Naruto said with much waving of his arms. "It's...it's..."

"Organic?" Sasuke offered thoughtfully.

"Yeah, ask the smart one!" Naruto bounced the apple up and down in his palm. "And I'm not much of an apple-eater." He offered it to Sasuke, who shook his head, and then to Kyuubi, who sniffed it with distate. With a sigh, he laid the rejected fruit back down.

Iruka patted him on the shoulder. "Sorry, son." With a wave, the man left the room.

As soon as the door clicked close, Naruto leapt up. He ran to the dresser and yanked on a pair of jeans and a black shirt with a red spiral covering the entire front over his pajamas. He pulled his black cap onto his head, containing his wild thatch of blonde hair, and then raced around the room in search of his sneakers. He found one under the bed, and the other behind the dresser. As he fumbled with the laces, Sasuke asked slowly, "What are you doing?"

Naruto looked up with a grin, confident enough in his new friend to know Sasuke wouldn't tell on him. Kyuubi leapt onto his arm and ran up to his shoulder, settling under his right ear. "Taking a stroll."

**Thanks for reading. Review!**


	3. Part 3

**Uhh...the reasoning behind the fox's name is I thought Kyuubi was the name of the nine-tailed fox demon inside Naruto during the show...And I couldn't just throw him in a different time zone _without _some connection to foxes, now, could I?**

**I don't own Naruto. Yeah, yeah, sure, just rub it in; like I _need reminding everyday. _-sulks-**

_Broken Glass (Part 3)-_

_Meant to Last_

They strolled down the streets just as Naruto had promised, boy, boy and fox. Sasuke had at first warned against it, but Naruto, instead of giving the expected "Why the heck should I listen to _you?" _response, had turned huge pleading eyes to Sasuke. Sasuke, never having experience a pleading, clear-blue-eyed blonde boy, who _happened _to be his only friend, couldn't say no.

So Naruto started jabbering excitedly, leading his friend joyfully through the streets, Kyuubi dancing playfully at his feet. _It's hard to believe this is a sick boy._

Naruto led him to a darker road, up to a building with several shady looking characters lounging outside. They glanced up when the boys approached, and Sasuke pressed in close behind Naruto. But Kyuubi started the purr-noise, and a huge smile lit Naruto's face as he called out, "Hey! Long time no see, guys!"

The men smiled and relaxed as the boy jogged towards them, raven-haired lad in tow. "Good to's see yas, Naruto. You'se gotsa friend wiffyoo taday?"

"Uh-huh!" Naruto said loudly with an energetic smile on his face. "His name is Sasuke! Can we get some lunch here?"

The men chortled. "You know your always welcome here, Naruto."

When they safely passed them and had gone inside-the place looked very much like a normal diner, easing Sasuke's fears-Sasuke asked, "You _know _them?"

"I helped 'em out a while back," Naruto said, scanning the menu eagerly for a certain item. "After they helped me."

Sasuke surveyed his surroundings with open curiosity, knowing Naruto wouldn't take him anywhere unsafe. (After all, they were only nine.) A man leaned over the counter and grinned at them; "Hey Naruto-gotta friend with you?"

"Uh-huh! This is Sasuke." Naruto gave up on the menu and turned to the dark-eyed boy. "Hey, do you like ramen?"

"Huh?" Sasuke looked from the eager blonde to the also expecting cook. "Ramen? I've never had ramen..."

From the twin looks of horror on their faces, he might very well have said "I kill puppies in my spare time"; Naruto whipped around to face the man, with a cry of "_Two bowls of ramen, pronto!" _A yip from Kyuubi prompted him to add, "And some in a dish for Kyuubi."

A few minutes later, Sasuke found himself staring at a huge, steaming bowl of noodles and broth. He was handed a fork and then glanced over at Naruto. Naruto preferred the more traditional way of inhaling his lunch/dinner and was scooping the noodles up to his lips with chopsticks, then slurping them into his mouth, a cat-like look of pleasure on his young face. Even Kyuubi, crouched on the table between them, was lapping daintily at his own ramen inside the dish set for him.

With a shrug, Sasuke dug his fork into the bowl and lifted a few noodles to his face. He swallowed them thoughtfully, under the wide-eyed gaze of Naruto, and was thoroughly surprised when they turned out to be _really good. _He said so to Naruto, who cheered and slapped a high-five with the cook.

A few hours later, the boys, looking up from their cards, blinked at the clock. _Nine forty-two. _"OH, SNAP!" Naruto yelped, standing up so quickly he knocked his chair over. Sasuke hurriedly dropped his cards and fumbled through the maze of benches to the door, yelling, "C'mon, Naruto! If you're not back-If _I'm _not back-"

The cook suddenly pulled Sasuke aside. "Listen-Sasuke, was it? Naruto hasn't been doing too good, but he's been better since he was with you." The man was utterly serious. "_Do not betray him. _It'd be a dangerous thing if you did. Not only is Naruto the best kid you'll ever make friends with, he's got a lot of men at his back." The cook gestured to his diners, the shady-looking men with hearts of gold who were trying to help Naruto collect all his cards.

Sasuke blinked at the man. "What do you mean, he's not doing good?"

Cook opened his mouth, then shut it. "He didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

"He...Well, I'll leave that to him," the man waved it off. "But listen, son. Naruto's...not as cheerful..."

_Not as cheerful? _Currently the boy under discussion was trying not to fall over chairs as he fought his way through the crowd to Sasuke. Then he paused and called around for Kyuubi, who popped his head out of the collar of Naruto's shirt.

"And he'll usually eat a whole lot more than the half bowl he did eat."

_He seemed pretty hungry at the hospital..._

"So, please-from all of us here-look out for him." The cook's daughter was beside him, nodding furiously. "That Iruka guy has been taking real good care of him, that we all know. But Iruka, even though he'd want to, he can't focus soley on Naruto-that would cost him his job, and then he wouldn't be able to take care of Naruto at all. Beyond that, he's got obligations that lie with other patients."

Sasuke nodded, although his head was spinning; _what is this guy talking about? Naruto's fine, just sick with a cold or somethin'; there's no _way _Naruto's life is in danger. _

"Awright, I got the cards!" Naruto said, reaching them finally. He was stuffing them in his pockets haphazardly. "Let's go, Sasuke, I don't want you to get in trouble."

Sasuke looked back at the Cook who made a "shoo-shoo" gesture with his hands, and his daughter smiled warmly: Remember what we said, Sasuke.

* * *

Naruto led him unhesitantly through the now dark streets. His hands were in his pockets and his fox was on his head, and he strode jauntily, like this was nothing more than an walk through the park.

Sasuke trusted Naruto to get him home, but now he wasn't so sure about something else: "Naruto...the cook said that-"

"What street did you say you lived on? Oak? Dammit, that's another block down."

Sasuke was growing frustrated. "Naruto, listen! I want to ask you something!"

Naruto flinched and turned to face him; he'd warned Sasuke to be quiet, and was now concerned simply with quieting him down again. "I'm sorry, I'll listen," he said with more surprise than anything else.

Sasuke hadn't realized he'd raised his voice; he lowered it again. "I'm sorry too-now, why did-"

Naruto's eyes strayed past his, looking beyond him. His gaze intensified, and Sasuke could see his eyes harden with resignation. Sasuke fell silent. "Sasuke," Naruto whispered. "It looks like we've got company." He turned and pointed down the street. "See down there? That really big tree? That's your street. I'll be there in a sec." Sasuke didn't move; he wasn't going to run down there in the _dark _with_out _Naruto-and what did Naruto think he was doing anyway? Naruto gave him a light shove to start him running. _"GO."_

He did so, trying to glance back over his shoulder as he did; Naruto had shoved his hands in his pockets, and Kyuubi was at his feet, snarling terribly, and both were looking farther than Sasuke could see. When he stumbled about five times, he gave up on that and focused on his feet.

The voices were tensed and worried inside; there was shouting and murmurs of anxiety. They were very worried in the orphanage; but Sasuke made no move to go in. He sat just around the corner, hugging his knees to his chest, waiting for his friend to arrive.

He didn't have to wait too long. Naruto jogged into view, panting, with a wild grin on his face. He'd lost his cap, had aqcuired a few bruises, and Kyuubi's fur was sticking up, but they were alright. "_Sasuke, _why didn't you go in?" Yeah-just fine.

"Because I-"

The door was suddenly thrown open, throwing light onto the dark pavement of the sidewalk where the two boys were.

"_THERE HE IS." _Naruto tensed and was prepared to dive out of sight, but Sasuke caught his arm; his glare clearly read "if I have to put up with this so do you". A woman, angry arms akimbo, strode toward them. "Do you have any idea how worried we were, Sasuke Uchiha? Any idea at all? Mr. Kakashi could have lost his job because of this, and-"

"That's enough," a calmer voice said from the doorway. Naruto groaned, ready to sprint; this was turning into a real freak-fest. A man with wild gray hair stepped toward them, a black mask covering his mouth and a headband covering his left eye. "Where have you been Sasuke? We were all slightly concerned."

_Yeah. About your job. _"I lost track of time," Sasuke said. He met Kakashi's gaze with his own obsidian eyes, and held it.

"Oh, really? That's unlike you. How did you get home in the dark?"

"Naru...A friend took me home."

Kakashi's gray eyes found Naruto, who coughed weakly into his fist, and then waved weakly with the same arm, as his other was still held captive. "Uhh...this is somewhat gauche..." he said, grinning helplessly.

Kakashi nodded, approving of Naruto's choice of words. "That it is. So, I suppose some thanks is in order, for your getting our Sasuke back home safely?"

_I can see why Sasuke hates it here. _"Uhh, no, really, no big." Naruto was subtely trying to yank his arm out of Sasuke's grip. "Listen, I gotta bail, I-"

"Do you live around here? I could drive you; your parents must be frantic." Some dulled pain must have shown in Naruto's eyes, because Kakashi didn't broach the subject.

"No, really, that's fine." Naruto said hoarsly, finally pulling away from Sasuke, and taking a swift step to the side to avoid being caught again. "So, umm...See you tomorrow, Sasuke?"

Sasuke's obsidian eyes flew to Kakashi's; the man said nothing. _Look what I've become, _Sasuke thought wryly before clasping his hands and begging, "Pleeeeeeease?"

Even Naruto stared. Kyuubi peered at Sasuke from where he sat hidden on Naruto's shoulder

"What's gotten into him?" the woman asked Kakashi. Kakashi shrugged, raising his hands in front of him in the defensive "got nuttin' ta do widdit" gesture.

Naruto, now under the glare of obsidian eyes, stammered, "U-Uh, yeah, please? It's never any fun around my place, so usually I've gotta sneak out to rile things up a bit." He was blatantly unashamed of this, and didn't notice the adults' stares and Sasuke's silent snickers. "But lately that's been a bit difficult...But when Sasuke comes over, it's not so bad!" he hurried on, wheezing slightly. "So-"

"-please?-"

"-could Sasuke come over again?"

* * *

Naruto ducked out of sight at the first possible moment. He was gasping by now, clutching at his shirt with his fist, over the spot where his heart was. He stumbled after the first few steps, and found his legs were altogether too weak to support him. He remembered hitting the ground face first and curling onto his side...he remembered Kyuubi's frantic yips and a flash of orange as the fox curled up under his chin to preserve warmth...he vaguely recalled his gaze traveling up to the fall sky and his thinking how pretty the stars were.

Everything after that was just black.

* * *

He loved this power he had over them. It was hard to resist Naruto when he made an effort to be charming. So Sasuke was told "We'll see", and was sent to bed without supper. _Wow, _he though smugly as he trudged up the steps, recalling his ramen meal. _I'm soooo hungry anyway. _As he climbed into the small bed, slipping under the sheets and pulling them up to his eyes, arms snugly underneath, he allowed himself a smile. For the first time after lights out, he felt himself longing for morning.

* * *

He took the steps four at a time, nearly impailing himself on the railing several times. Kakashi had called him; it sounded urgent. Normally Sasuke would have burrowed under his pillow and refused to acknowledge anything for several hours; but following Kakashi's beckons, Sasuke could hear him telling one of the orphanage staff to call the hospital immidiently, and at once all his thoughts focused on the same thing: _Naruto. _

So he was taking the stairs at a breakneck pace, and found himself finally at the bottom of the set. The front door was wide open, and most of the kids-mostly either his age or younger, only a few were older-were gathered around it, whispering and murmuring in a way that screamed bad news.

Sasuke shoved his way through them, ignoring their protests of shock or anger. He made his way to where Kakashi knelt on the ground; Kakashi himself was in the way of what lay on the ground before them. When the man heard the dark-haired boy behind him, he said nothing, only stood without looking at him, and stepped aside.

Sasuke's dark, usually hateful eyes widened and darkened in horror. Naruto lay curled into a tight ball on the pavement, skin blue with cold. His blonde hair was splayed haphazardly over his bruised face, concealing the whisker-like scars on his exposed cheek; his expression was one of vague pain. Sasuke slid to his knees. At once, a small, soft paw was nudging at his hand. He looked down. Kyuubi had crawled from Naruto's arms and was sitting beseachingly at Sasuke's knees, needing comfort. He reached down with numb hands and lifted the fox up, settling it on his shoulders. Then he reached forward, putting his fingers just below Naruto's mouth; _breath. _He was still breathing.

Distant sirens sounded. Sasuke was aware of the silence behind him. The children were staring at him. The staff was trying to convince them to go back inside, but the attempt was a futile one. Then Kakashi was at his side again, telling him the ambulance was on its way.

His thoughts processed very slowly. His brain was a few levels below super-slow.

_Is...this my fault?_

Sasuke watched almost sightlessly as the ambulance arrived. His eyes stinged as the lights on top flashed brightly, but he didn't blink.

_Because I let him sneak out?_

He was ushered into the back, told to sit with Naruto with the doctor he'd been introduced to before. Doctor Iruka didn't even glance at him; immediately, all the man's attention went to his favorite patient as he began checking vital signs, murmuring to himself, laying his hand on Naruto's forehead to check the blonde boy's temperature, smoothing the boy's hair back from his eyes.

_Was he really this sick?_

Sasuke stared at Naruto the entire ride to the hospital. The color refused to rise in the boy's face; he was still so pale, and barely breathing. Kyuubi was curled into a ball on his chest, devoted and faithful to Naruto.

_And I never cared to ask?_

Sasuke watched impassively as the stretcher was wheeled quickly into another room; listened passionately as he was told he couldn't follow. Sitting silently as the door swung shut.

_He kept silent about it, when he was hurting...and I honestly didn't notice?_

Kakashi was there at some point, sitting beside him quietly, understanding that-and Sasuke had to respect him for this-nothing he said would help anything at all.

_And now, Naruto's..._

He got up without a word, and walked calmly to the bathroom door. He heard it shut behind him, and locked it. He stood before the mirror and stared into it.

For the first time in his life, the nine year old boy cried.

**Wow. That took a while. Sorry about the OOCness! Please review! It'll get better! TT-TT**


	4. Part 4

**Alright, I typed this up at the library when I was desperately awaiting a ride home. –sob- ANYwho. This chapter was exceedingly difficult to write, and I'm afraid there's some OOCness…but please bear with me. And the title of this chapter might possibly be the title of a story later on, but that's okay…. –shifty eyes- I hope I'm not sued for that….**

**Oh, and I recently received an anonymous review, telling me that my having this story under the Naruto and Sasuke category was offending. I'd like to point out the following:**

**My selecting Naruto and Sasuke to be the main characters in this story in no way signifies that pairing in any way. It simply means that those two are what the story is mainly going to be about. Who the heck else could I put?! You tell me, what other character is this story mainly about? And just in case you don't know, the answer is thus: NONE. By the way, I'm not trying to be offending, I really am not, so please don't take my returning the banter to heart.**

**And the songs I was listening to when I wrote this was "Chasing Cars" by...uhh...Snow Patrol...? And "It Ends Tonight" by All-American Rejects...And "Keep Holding On" by Avril Lavigne...Really good songs...They somewhat effected this chapter...-apologetic grin- I should go...**

**Kyaaaaaaaaaaah!! Before I do, you should **_**all**_** watch the 2nd Inuyasha movie!! Castle Beyond the Looking Glass!! Inuyasha movie 2 castle beyond the looking glass 1of10 Copy-paste that into the Youtube search bar, that should take you right to it!! Uwaaahhh, it's sooo **_**kawaii!! Especially **_**part 9!! -squeals and dances- Yes, I'm an Inu/Kagome freak...**

_**-Standard disclaimer applies-**_

_Broken Glass (Part 4)-_

_Dance in the Rain_

_Where…am I? What…who are these people? I…can't…I can't breathe…. Why can't I breathe? My chest feels funny….Iruka-sir?...Where are you?...You said you wouldn't let nobuddy else…no other doctors…do anything to me….You said it'd be…only you watchin' out for me…. I wish I could see…. Then I'd know what's happening…. But…I just can't seem…to open my eyes…._

_I'm really really tired….I just wanna sleep..._

---

Sasuke sat back down beside Kakashi: after the flood of tears had broken, he'd been a single core of worry, nonstop. He'd pace around furtively, glaring around at the nurses and doctors who weren't in there helping Naruto, throw himself back in a chair, fume for a while, then start the process over again. About the fifteenth time, as he made to stand, Kakashi grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and yanked him back down.

"I know you're worried," the man whispered in his ear, "but acting this way won't help your friend at all. Where'd all that cold strength go? It seems to be in plentiful supply when you're at the orphanage—Heaven only knows how many kids there have fallen victim to your temper." The gray haired man could feel Sasuke shaking; with fear or anger he couldn't tell. "What he needs now is that Doctor Iruka. He'll take good care of him."

"Naruto."

"What?"

"His name is Naruto, call him by his damn name!" Sasuke snarled, glaring at his guardian with smoldering obsidian eyes ((I thought I'd just add this here; obsidian is a really, really pretty mineral. It's black, and you can kind of see through it when you hold it up to the light.)) He crossed his arms and glared lividly at the closest wall, imagining burning a hole through it with his very gaze.

Suddenly the door swung open. Before Kakashi could tell Sasuke to stay seated, Sasuke was up. Iruka strode out, weary and troubled. Had Sasuke been feeling tolerant, he would have noted such things immediately and backed down; Sasuke was not feeling tolerant just then. He stopped in front of the white-coated man and clenched his fists.

"How is he? Tell me! Is he okay? What's going on? Is he--"

"Uchiha Sasuke, right?" the man said suddenly.

"Uh, yeah. We met like two days ago," Sasuke said impatiently, unaware of becoming the other doctors' and nurses' center of attention. Kakashi joined the two of them.

"You're the one who helped him sneak out last night," the man said angrily, eyes pained. "I know you're young, but you both knew better than to do that. He may act like an airhead a lot, but that kid's perceptive. I want you to take responsibilty for what you've done." Iruka's gaze was serious, and Sasuke could feel his angry impatience dimming out to nothing. "Naruto could die at any moment."

There was a loud roaring in Sasuke's ears; his eyes widened and his brow furrowed; he stumbled back away from the men, who didn't notice his abrupt silence. He was vaguely aware of the conversation continuing.

_"Is Naruto very sick?"_

_"Yes. Since he was very young he had a serious internal disease that's slowly devouring his organs. If he'd grown up in a warm, safe house, he'd have a stronger immune system, but as it was..."_

_"What are the odds of his survival? Can you tell me?"_

_"Everyone here knows about Naruto, so yes, I can. ...The odds...are ten percent."_

His vision grayed; he was aware of falling backwards. Everything after that was black.

---

Kakashi started when he heard a muffled thump behind him. He turned around and saw Sasuke in a dead faint on the floor. He started for him, but a woman was there first. She glanced up and smiled at Kakashi; _I'll take it from here. _

"That's Naruto's nurse, Shizune. She was the first of us to meet Sasuke," Iruka explained, looking a bit put-out. "Er, I didn't mean to make your kid faint, Mr. Kakashi..."

"No, that's quite alright," the man said, freakishly calm. He shoved his hands in his pockets and watched the woman hurry Sasuke away. "He's not mine, by the way."

"Really?" Iruka asked, faintly surprised, glad to have something new to think about.

"Yeah. He's an orphan." Kakashi didn't see Iruka's eyes widen, but instead looked around. "Speaking of which, where are Naruto's parents?"

---

Everyone dove away from the windows and doors as the car pulled up. They scurried to the living room where they could pretend to have been the entire time as footfalls sounded up the walk to the porch. Despite their attempts to be clandestine about their spying, all the children of the orphanage peered curiously at Kakashi when he stepped in out of the rain, leaving the door ajar. When one of the kids hurried to shut the door on the cold winds blowing into the building, Kakashi waved them away mildly. "No, no, that's okay, I'm going back out."

A staff woman frowned, puzzled. "Why? And where's Sasuke?"

"Sasuke is lying unconcious at the local hospital," Kakashi said, choosing to ignore the gasps he recieved at that, "and I'm going back to there with these forms."

She peered at them. "Adoption papers? Why?"

"Sasuke has had twenty-three interviews. He looks intelligent and charming, so all the couples immidiently take to him. But after the interview, they found out he was an angry bunk with a chip on his shoulder the size of an ocean-liner cruise ship." Kakashi paused. "But, I've got the feeling there _might _be an eligible adoptee who'd be willing to take the kid in." He shoved two sets of paperwork into his pocket and then headed back out the door. "Kurenai, I'm leaving you in charge," he said, shutting the door swiftly behind him.

Kurenai rolled her eyes; she ran the orphanage more than he did. She sent the curious little kids into the living room and told the older kids to choose a movie they all could watch, and then she made her way into the kitchen, pouring herself a cup of coffee and sitting at the dining room table.

Everyone, excluding herself and Kakashi, thought that Sasuke was a hopeless case. He was rude, arrogant and quiet; and seemed to be against making any friends at all. When someone would approach him, he'd talk to them frankly, eyes dark and probing, and his face would remain unsmiling. Finally, they would go away, and Sasuke would return to his book, or his writing, or whatever he'd been doing before getting disturbed. Kurenai and Kakashi had debated long into the night on several occasions what to do with the dark-haired boy, and had come to no immedient solution. Either he stay at the orphanage until he came of age, or was adopted. The children were intimidated by him; even if he'd never struck them with his fists, he was skilled at throwing verbal barbs that cut deeper than any physical pain. But she was the only one who'd worked at the oprhanage for as long as Kakashi had; only she could remember Sasuke's arrival.

The look of pain and fear on his face; the way he would flinch at every sound and bring his arm up to shield his face, as though he were afraid of being struck. His rare, softly-spoken words had been uttered below a whisper, and when he'd open his mouth, his eyes would widen slightly, as though fearing beating for speaking at all. The first time he spoke was late at night, the first night after his arrival at the orphanage.

---

_"How's he doing?" Kurenai asked her boss, concern evident on her face. Kakashi shut the door of the sleeping quarters for the boys, and turned to glance at her._

_"The same he was the last time you asked two minutes ago," he said ruefully, shoving his hands in his pockets._

_"I...I'm sorry," she said shifting her gaze to the floor. "But you saw how he looked when he came in."_

_"Yes," Kakashi said softly, glancing back at the door. "He looked..."_

_"Shattered?"_

_  
"Like broken glass." He nodded approving Kurenai's, and his own, choice of words. "Makes me wonder what could have happened to him--and why he was dropped off so abruptly at our door. It happens all the time with babies, whose mothers couldn't afford to raise them; but for a five year old to be dumped on our porch with no explanation, who flinches every time someone moves too quickly and can't seem to form a simple sentence, is just odd."_

_Kurenai nodded sadly. "Yes."_

_"But will he get along with the other children? He's wary around us, and we're the ones he has to depend on."_

_"Not for long; I can tell that he's one to hold grudges...and from the look in his eyes...he's got one against just about everyone he sees." Kurenai sighed. "He hates us already."_

_"I can't see why, but I know you're right. I--" _

_The door of the boys' sleeping quarters swung open. Sasuke trotted out, clutching his blanket and pillow to his chest, looking vaguely--but not signifigantly--surprised to see Kurenai and Kakashi there. _

_"And where were you going, Sasuke?" Kakashi asked, folding his arms._

_"...I...was...going..to sleep in the hall..." he said, finding difficulty in voicing his words, though he appeared most unabashed. "Those...boys kept...talking...a-and it was hard to sleep...I, I don't like sleeping in there, anyway..."_

_Kurenai silence Kakashi with a look when he opened his mouth. Employee she may be, but Kakashi knew when to shut his mouth around her. "But Sasuke," she said softly. "We can't have you sleeping in the hall." Sasuke said nothing; he knew already, and the two adults could see this, that arguing with an adult was pointless because they always got their way one way or another. "Why don't you...go sleep up in the attic!" _

_Both males stared at her._

_"Well, I just cleaned it out, for lack of better thing to do," Kurenai said defensively, folding her arms. "I thought you'd preffer a nice bed in your own room to--"_

_"Thank you. I'll take it." The boy did not sound thankful at all. He nodded at her, and then walked past her and Kakashi both to the string dangling from the ceiling; he yanked it down unceremoniously and the attic stairs fell down. He trotted up them, pulled them up closed after him, without another word._

_---_

Sasuke went back to the hospital every day after he was taken home; only to be turned out by a resolute Iruka, who simply refused Naruto any visitors; when pressed, he did break and tell the dark-haired boy that he would call the orphanage as soon as Naruto should wake up.

A few days later, Sasuke recieved that call.

"Sasuke!" Kakashi yelled up the stairs. "Phone call!"

"Who the hell is it?" was the shouted response.

The kids watched Kakashi smirk. "The hospital."

There was a muffled _THUMP! _and a yelp. Pounding footfalls sounded down the steps and everyone watched Sasuke stumble the rest of the way to the first floor. They watched Sasuke calmly compose himself before striding around the staircase to stand before the orphanage manager and glare up at him. "Gimme it." Kakashi smirked, not noticing Kurenai's fresh enterence.

"Phone! Phonephonephone!" Sasuke said impatiently, groping for it; Kakashi held it out of reach. Sasuke growled and made a wild dive for it; he missed.

Kakashi was immensely enjoying himself, when the phone was plucked from his hand. Kurenai gave him a frosty death glare, smacked him it, and then handed it to Sasuke, who yanked it away, as though afraid it would still be denied him, and yelled into the reciever, "Is this Iruka?!"

There was an almost audible wince from the other end of the phone. _"Yes, it's me, Sasuke."_

"Naruto! He woke up?"

_"Yes, he's awake right now. I've spoken with him, and he keeps asking for you."_

"Good." Sasuke paused to punch his fist into the air, hanging the phone up without another word. ((Needless to say, the children who'd grown up around the evil-eyed black-haired youth were startled into silence.)) Sasuke spun around to jab his finger at Kakashi. "I need a ride!"

Kakashi ambled after the energetic obsidian-eyed boy, and found himself missing the sarcastic, sadistic one over this..._Naruto-ish _one. _Needless to say, Fox-boy has had a lasting effect on our Sasuke._

Back at the hospital, Iruka sat the phone down, teary-eyed. When questioned by a nurse he muttered, "The nine year old hung up on me."

---

Sasuke found his enthusiasm fade as he entered the hospital. All around him were patients being wheeled into rooms, or out the doors to life outside medication; _what about Naruto? _Would he ever have that freedom? Muttering to himself, he strode ahead, leaving Kakashi behind. "Uh, sure, I'll wait here," the man said ruefully, bemused.

Sasuke made his way down the hall, ducking past nurses and doctors who tried to stop him. He reached Naruto's room and reached for the door handle. He hesitated, fingers inches from the knob.

"You can go in."

Sasuke spun around so violently he nearly had an unpleasant introduction of his face to the floor. Iruka was leaning against the wall with an amused, relieved and calculating ((yes, all three)) look on his face.

Sasuke tried to regain what little shreds of dignity he had left. "Wh-What gives you the right to sneak up on people?!" he yelled furiously.

"The same that gives you the right to barge into an Intensive Care hall in the local hospital and nearly enter a patient's room."

Sasuke could think of nothing to say, so he said nothing at all. "Hmph." He made a snap-resolution, and tightened his fist around the doorknob. He didn't catch the small smile Iruka displayed; merely strode into his friend's room and shut the door behind him.

He glanced around the room, refusing to look at the bed in the corner; proffesional, buisnesslike...white. He clenched his teeth, making a mental note to bring in some posters next time he came. _"I'd die of mass hysteria if I had to stay in a plain white room. It would drive me completely insane."_

His eyes fell finally on the bed. Naruto lay back on his pillow with his eyes shut, one arm over Kyuubi, curled into a ball, the other in a V at his side.

_Liar, _Sasuke thought angrily, clenching his fists. _Stupid liar, Iruka. You said he was awake. _Sasuke growled and turned back to the door, preparing a long string of curses he would gladly bestow upon Naruto's benefactor, but as he lay his hand against the door, a whisper drifted weakly across the room: "W-wow, Sasuke...Not even a h-hello?"

Sasuke whipped around, and, for the second time that day, nearly met the floor. "Wha--"

Naruto was sitting up, Kyuubi on his head, and managed a smile at the flustered onyx-eyed boy at the door. "I can't believe you'd come to visit, and leave without a word."

Sasuke blinked. "Uhh...I just thought that you were sleeping, is all..."

"Feh. I sleep so much nowadays I'm gonna go vegie," Naruto drawled, propping his elbows on his crossed legs and resting his chin in his palms. "Like I'd sleep through a visit anyway."

Sasuke came to sit on the bed. "How would you know?"

"I have a _sixth sense _about these things," Naruto said wisely. Seeing Sasuke wasn't buying it, he mumbled, "Fine, Kyuubi bites me. And he can hear anyone who comes into the room, so don't even try to tell me that that wouldn't work either."

Sasuke grinned, reaching up to scratch the fox's head, right behind the ears. The little burgundy-eyed beauty closed its eyes and warmed to the touch. Naruto giggled, squirming away, and deposited Kyuubi on Sasuke's lap. "That tickled," he chided Sasuke, rubbing his neck. "Kyuubi's tail was tickling my neck."

"Heh, I'm sorry," Sasuke snickered, not sounding sorry at all; so he wasn't surprised to be hit in the face with Naruto's pillow, although it _did _knock him off the bed. "OW! Wha the--"

"Hahaha!" Naruto cackled, looking down on him from the bed. "You've come face to face with the wrath of Naruto Uzuma--" He suddenly errupted into a coughing fit. Sasuke leapt to his feet. Naruto's coughs didn't waver or lessen; if anything they got worse and worse. His hands clenched into fists, clenching his blankets, and he gasped, chest heaving as he drew shallow, hoarse breathes. Blood flew from his mouth, soaking into the sheets.

Sasuke panicked, unsure what to do. Kyuubi's yowls were loud in his ear, so finally he sprinted to the door, screaming, "IRUKA!"

**Okay, I'm gonna stop there. Reviews, please!! **


	5. Part 5

**Okay, I know I left a bit of a cliffy last time we met...XD Yeah, don't kill me. Anywho, I don't have much to say before we get started, so...let's get started!**

_**-Standard Disclaimer Applies-**_

_Broken Glass (Part 5)-_

_Dolls of Glass_

"I...I really didn't know..."

"It's okay, Sasuke."

"He...was really this sick?...The whole time?"

"...Yes."

"It...it's my fault...I let him sneak out...I could've stopped him..."

Iruka glanced up quickly from his paperwork; it was both what the boy said and how he said it that startled him: _Sasuke was crying. _Not the silent tears one would expect from the morbid child, but the full-abandon sobs of any normal child refused a treat of insignifigance. The dark-haired boy brought an arm over his eyes, as though to hide the source of his shameful weakness.

Iruka found himself hesitating to comfort Sasuke Uchiha. He hardly knew the boy outside the fact that he and Naruto had sparked an alarmingly fast friendship when no one was watching. He did know that this kid was one of the many factors to blame for Naruto's current state of health.

_Orphan..._

The world was still fresh in his mind, as if Kakashi had spoken it only a moment ago. Iruka knew what it was like to be alone; that's what had first drawn him to Naruto. The blonde had been so ferociously independent, so mistrustful of everyone he saw, that Iruka almost gave up trying to reach him before he started; those blue eyes of his had a way of making one feel trapped and cornered in an open corridor. But all Naruto had needed was someone to talk to; someone to help him peice together the fragile childhood he'd never been able to enjoy. It came to a point that Iruka had never before allowed; he was favoring one of his patients above the rest. He tried to stop, but the look of hurt in Naruto's eyes when Iruka brushed him off, the look of resigned expectance shrouding them, very nearly broke the doctor's heart; he loved the little blue-eyed boy like a son. A two-man family drawn together by the feeling of being terribly and utterly alone for so long they just couldn't take it anymore.

And now, seeing Sasuke's bitter tears, he found a very sharp reminder hit him in the face in a very painfully metaphorical way. Sasuke was a lonely orphan boy--who thought it was his fault his best friend was dying.

So Iruka stood and stepped from behind his desk, making his way to where Sasuke sat on the cushioned bench that was pressed to the wall under the window. Sitting beside him, Iruka put a gentle arm around Sasuke's shoulders. The boy stiffened, looking up in surprise, tears temporarily ceased. Slowly he relaxed into the man's hold, rubbing the wetness on his cheeks away.

An earthy scent drifted in on a cold breeze through the open window. The early-night sky was darker than usual; lightning flashed, illuminating the vague outlines of the massive storm clouds, whose presence masked the moon. A sudden rumbling thunder followed the lightning not even three seconds later.

"Pretty big storm, soon," Iruka commented lightly.

Sasuke buried himself in Iruka's white coat; his voice came out muffled. "Naruto said he likes rain."

Iruka chuckled. "A storm is to him as a lullaby to an infant."

He was rewarded with a weak grin as Sasuke smiled into his shirt. "The worse the better?"

"Something like that." Iruka found he was petting the boy's dark hair and stopped. "Sasuke...how do you think Naruto would react if I told him I wanted to adopt him?"

Obviously, Sasuke, along with the rest of humanity in the hospital, had long since thought this out, and mused the possible outcomes several times. (In fact, people have been _betting _on when Iruka would adopt Naruto; it was all just a matter of time.) So Sasuke had prepared an answer, and supplied it promptly. "Loudly."

Iruka blinked, slightly taken-aback by the abrupt response. "Loudly?"

"Yeah. Much dancing around, and hugging, and yelling." Sasuke rubbed his forehead. "My head hurts just thinking it."

Iruka grinned, a little relievedly. "Then he won't mind?"

"No." Sasuke was confident enough that he knew as much about Naruto; Naruto _worshipped _Iruka.

"Great." Sasuke saw the doctor grin, and then tension was back in his face. "Do you think, Sasuke, that he would mind a sibling?"

Sasuke gawked. "You have a kid?!" he exclaimed loudly.

"_NO! Of course not!" _Iruka yelled back, lightly punching Sasuke in the head. "I'm thinking of adopting."

Sasuke's face fell; he was silent for a moment, gaze meeting the floor. Then he looked back up with an oddly blank look on his face. "I wouldn't recommend my orphanage, all the kids there are either jerks or idiots and they're all selfish."

Iruka blinked. "Umm...I didn't mean--"

"You'll need to find someone whose maybe a little patient, and they'll definitely need to have a lot of energy." He pondered. "And if they're allergic to cats or dogs, they won't get along with Kyuubi."

"Sasuke--"

"I don't think Naruto would mind a sister; I mean, they probably wouldn't play or get along well, but Naruto would look out for her, and watch out for her. But personally, I think he needs a brother; he'll need someone to look out for _him _as much as he needs someone to protect, because he pushes himself way too hard."

_"Sasuke."_

"If you--"

Iruka hit the kid again, not hard enough to hurt, yelling, _"LISTEN, PUNK!"_

Sasuke quieted, staring.

"Good." Iruka patted his head with a forced calm, kind of twitching. "Now. _Would you like to be Naruto's brother?!"_

---

Naruto woke up in early moening light. He frowned, eyes adjusting to the dim room. Kyuubi mewed at him, a goodmorning greeting, and Naruto's frown curved into a smile as he stroked the fox's ears. He listened to the light patter of rain outside, and realized he'd slept through another perfect rainstorm. He felt a shift and glanced up. Sasuke was sound asleep in the chair beside Naruto's bed, arms folded on the bed, head buried in his arms.

Naruto blinked, then chuckled, wishing he had a magic marker, but instead reached over and poked at him. "Hey...Hey! _Stone-ears! _Oh, come _on, _wake up!" Finally, the blond crawled out of bed and yanked the chair back so vioelently that Sasuke hit the floor, waking with a start to Naruto's racuous laughter.

A few minutes later, nurses and doctors rushed into Naruto's room, hearing the monitor in Naruto's room flatline. Naruto was dancing about, dragging a semi-resistent Sasuke with him, Kyuubi prancing at their feet.

"I'm gonna have a dad!" Naruto cried joyfully. "_We're _gonna have a dad! We're gonna be brothers!"

---

_The people there were few, but the sadness that hung in the air was greater than it would be at a much larger funeral. People were crying; he could see tears falling down even Iruka's face. He'd been dressed in his Sunday best _(for those rare occasions he could be dragged to church) _and stood inbetween Kakashi and Kurenai._

_"I don't understand," he kept asking. "Who died?" But no one answered him. He kept trying to peer into the casket but was always turned away. Finally he broke from Kakashi and ran over to Iruka. "Iruka, sir," he said at once, unconciously using Naruto's adopted title. "Tell me--who died? Why are we here?"_

_Kyuubi was at Iruka's feet, looking lost and forlorn. The cat-like creature didn't respond, despite Sasuke's attempts._

_"No one's told you?" the man asked softly. "You don't know?"_

_The words echoed eerily, making Sasuke's heart pound. He turned away and found the casket. He started for it but never seemed to get any closer. He broke into a desperate run, eyes on the retreading coffin, until his legs fell from under him. He gasped, hugging the ground, and when he looked up the casket was right in front of him. He grabbed the edge of it and hoisted himself back up to his feet. He peered quickly inside, so no other distraction could prevent his seeing it's cargo._

_It was empty._

_He was trying to digest this, brow furrowed in confusion, when there was a tap on his shoulder. He spun--_

_"Sasuke, you came!" the blonde said with a wide smile. His eyes were oddly blank, and they shone in the dim light; the mischevious, curious sparkle was gone, as was the kind warmth._

This isn't Naruto...

_"Who are you?" Sasuke asked quietly, pulling away quietly, actions nearly frozen with fear._

_"Sasuke, it's me, Naruto. Ha, ha, they all think I'm dead! But I'm right here."_

Naruto wouldn't laugh at people's pain...especially not if he'd caused it...

_"Sasuke, let's sneak off again! I know a really fun place!"_

And yet...

_The boy held out his hand to Sasuke smiling without any of his usual warmth. Sasuke found himself reaching out to take the offered hand. Suddenly, he yanked his arm away. "No! Yo're not Naruto! GO AWAY!"_

_Fake-Naruto kept smiling. "Aww, Sasuke," he said liltingly, "it's all your fault."_

_And he shattered--a doll of broken glass._

_Sasuke gasped, throwing his arms over his face in an _X _as the shards flew away on a sudden gust. On a sudden whim, he glanced back at the casket._

_A body was lying there, a blonde-haired, angel-faced nine-year-old boy with whisker-like scars on each cheek. Sasuke nearly stopped breathing, and reach out to touch the cold corpse. It cracked under his fingers, and shattered._

_"Made of broken glass. So fragile. Colored in blood."_

_"N...Naruto?"_

_"You should leave--this place isn't much fun. Not warm." There was a dry chuckle._

_"Naruto! Where are you?!"_

_"Go ahead: feel the rain, 'kay? I love the sun--but the rain is more fun."_

_Looming in front of him was an hourglass, and the sand was falling rapidly to the bottom; time was almost out--but for what? Or who?_

_---_

_"No! NARUTO!"_

"Sasuke! Wha--? I didn't do it, I was asleep, I swear! I-It was all Kyuubi! I _swear!"_

Sasuke gasped, looking around him; he had fallen asleep in Naruto's room, face buried in the bed. Naruto's heart monitor was beeping wildly; the blonde boyhad been startled awaky by Sasuke's sudden cry, and was trying to regain his breath before the doctors and nurses would freak out.

"Sorry," Sasuke said at once. "I--"

"--had a bad dream? Yeah, me too." Naruto beamed at him. "Don't tell anyone--but I have nightmares a lot."

Sasuke forced a smile, whishing he could explain his dream for comfort or reassurance but could never tell Naruto he had a dream that...

"It's late, Sasuke," the blonde mumbled sleepily, burrowing back into the blankets. "Thanks for offering to stay here 'n all, but if you're not comfy you can ask Iruka-sir to take you home."

"No, I'm fine," Sasuke said hurriedly. "Go to sleep, I'm good."

Naruto smiled and nodded, snuggling into Kyuubi's warm orange fur. "G'night Sasuke."

"G'night."

Sasuke waited until the beeping on the monitor slowed, and Naruto's breathing relaxed, before he stood up and went to find Iruka.

Iruka was very calm as Sasuke explained the dream to him. In fact, he smiled, and ruffled the boy's hair. "Nothing to worry about," the man said. "I've had some very similar ones."

"R..Really?" Sasuke mumbled.

"Yeah. And guess what day tomorrow is." Seeing Sasuke nonplussed look, he continued, "The first day of June."

**Okay, a happier cliffy!! I'm still pondering which twist I should throw in...y'know, things can't stay too peaceful for too long...it'd give me a complex. Review, please!!**


	6. Part 6

**Yay for happy cliffies!! Er, the reason I didn't want to write it was 'cuz I thought you might not want to read the rest now that Naruto's getting better. -shifty eyes- BUT!!! I threw in a**_**nother **_**twist, cuz we all know how much I love them.**

**Don't hate me for the randomness of this chapter!! Please!! I **_**had **_**to do it! The temptations proved too much for me to bear!! **

**Disclaimer: WHY?!**

_Broken Glass (Part 6)-_

_Adoption_

Naruto was getting better.

He'd been moved out of the Intensive Care hall and into a regular treatment room. His condition was noticeably progressing to nothing and it was all the more obvious by his abrupt change in attitude; now that he had enough access energy to run around and not hyperventilate later, and wasn't allowed to exhort it, he'd gotten very morose.

Not to _mention _Naruto had no one to talk to, besides a house-cat-sized fox: Iruka no longer had an excuse to hand around all the time, now that Naruto's health was improving steadily, and was forever being dragged off by adamant nurses that demanded constantly he check on patients who needed his attention more. ((The nurses were quite cheerful while doing this, too: Iruka's other patients' conditions had never before been more severe than Naruto's, so by dragging a bound and gagged Iruka down the hall so he wouldn't shirk his other duties, they were reminding themselves heartily of that. -shifty eyes- Yeah...))

"I wish Sasuke were here," Naruto muttered to Kyuubi for what may have been the ninth time. "It's so dull. _Very _dull."

It kind of shows the boredom Naruto must have been facing for him to engage in an intelligent conversation with a fox, and actually listen to the creature's responses ((Yes, Kyuubi answered him. Only Naruto could converse with a fox, but that's an entirely different story that we're not going to broach here.))

Kyuubi barked at him, and the sound could only be described as encouraging. Naruto's glum frown slowly curved into a happy grin. "Yeah...Let's call 'im! Why not? I mean, we're able to walk around now, right? Iruka-sir will let us!"

Naruto, glad he didn't have to yank the needle connecting him to the heartrate monitor out of his flesh like he usually did when sneaking out, jumped lithely out of bed and raced to the opposite side of the room. Kyuubi ran the length of the bed alongside him, and then leapt to his shoulder at the foot. Naruto brought his arm up to support the creature's weight, waiting for it to settle comfortable on his head, before throwing open the door and trotting into the hall.

---

Sasuke glared.

No, wrong word.

He was currently pondering the telekenetic powers of _burning death rays, _and wondering where he could get some.

Strangely, the man didn't squirm.

Kakashi had stopped him at the door as Sasuke had made for a mad dash outside. Kakashi had told him that he couldn't go to the hospital today, he had people to see. Sasuke had, of course, cursed at him, and demanded to know who the _hell _would care enough to visit him, and was answered with silence. That had scared him; normally, he'd have gotten a cuff on the head, or a calm rebuke, but not _silence. _No anger?

And now Sasuke was sitting across the table from a young man, probably in his very early twenties, who stared back evenly at Sasuke.

"Hi, Sasuke," the man said finally, trying a smile that was not returned. "My name is Itachi." He paused, waiting for some reaction; he was dissapointed. "Well, I know this may be of some shock to you...but I'm your older brother."

_I wonder what would happen if I threw a stick...would it leave? Maybe it's only here because it thinks I'll feed it..._

"What do you think about that, sport?"

_Sport? __**SPORT?! **__Any remote possibility of him or anyone else getting me out that door with or without constraints just flew out the window. Good job, 'sport'. _"I've got somewhere to be," Sasuke said coldly, pushing the chair from the table and standing. "Are we finished here, _Itachi?"_

Itachi's smile didn't waver: it was actually kind of freaky. "No, Sasuke, not quite." Itachi stood and walked around to Sasuke's side of the table. Sasuke tensed without knowing why, staring hard up at the man. "You see, there's something you should know: your parents were _murdered." _There was still no emotion on the younger boy's face; Sasuke had never known his parents, why should he care if some random schmuck shot them, or stabbed them, or whatever the hell this lunatic was talking about? Beyond that, Kakashi and Kurenai had researched him upon his arrival at the orphanage all those years ago; he _knew _his parents were murdered, and that the murderer was still on the loose. So what? But still...there was something in this stranger's gaze that was almost predatory...and scary to say the least.

There was a commotion outside the door. Suddenly, it was thrown open and Naruto strode in. He was scowling, eyes scanning the room until they landed on Itachi. "YOU!" he snarled, crouching slightly, bringing his hands up a fraction, much like a maddened animal. "STAY AWAY FROM SASUKE! _YOU CAN'T HAVE 'IM!" _Faithful Kyuubi was at Naruto's feet, hissing and spitting (kinda like a rabid cat...-shifts gaze- Can cats get rabies?). An apologetic Iruka, and a bemused Kakashi soon followed Naruto into the room. Iruka put a restraining hand on Naruto's shoulder, but Naruto shook him off.

Sasuke grinned, fear not forgotten, but momentarily misplaced. "Hey, Naruto," he greeted almost casually, if not for the fact he was still trembling.

Naruto, of course, perceptive brat as he was, could tell at once Sasuke was shaken--and of course blamed it on Sasuke's interviewer. "Oy! Stay _away! _I mean it!" Naruto's eyes narrowed. "Hey, didn't I see you on T.V. a few days ago? On some criminal show?" He scratched his head, somewhat oblivious to Kakashi's suddenly intense expression, and Sasuke's widening eyes. "Yeah, I think so...you, like, killed a zillion people?"

It all happened in a flash--one of the adults yelled, _"GET DOWN!" _and the two boys were flung to the floor. Several shots rang out, and the boys gasped, Sasuke hiding his eyes, Naruto covering his ears.

_"I __**WILL **__KILL HIM!" _the (for all intent and purposes) insane man yelled, swinging the gun away from Kakashi, whom he'd thrown--with surprising strength--against the wall, to take aim at where Iruka was crouched over the two trembling orphans. _"JUST LIKE I KILLED OUR PARENTS! __**YOUR MINE!**__"_

Iruka felt a sudden shift under him. He gasped when a sudden blur of blonde dove out from under protection, towards Itachi. Iruka almost called out, but bit the cry back; Itachi wasn't looking down--his eyes were on Kakashi. Naruto was silent and low, crawling on all fours towards the man.

So it came as a complete surprise when a nine-year-old suddenly tackled the villain's abdomen, bringing him to the ground. Sasuke watched from where he lay as Naruto's street-fight instinct suddenly burst out of it's every restraint. Given, he was a shrimp, and his chosen opponent was not, but he had the element of surprise. He focused on the gun, forcing the hand that held it down, and twisting the arm around until Itachi was forced to drop it. He locked his arms at Itachi's elbows vertically, holding his arms back so he couldn't make for the gun again. Kyuubi was gnawing on Itachi's right wrist, complete with feral snarls; Kyuubi basically just followed Naruto's lead.

As fast as he was, Naruto didn't stand a chance against Itachi for long; Itachi finally regained his senses and threw Naruto from him, like he had Kakashi. Being smaller, he hit with more impact and cracked his head against the hard wood. He slid to the floor and slowly brought his hands up to his head, expression trembling from fear to anger to pain. Itachi smacked Kyuubi off his wrist, who growled demonicly, but nevertheless backed to where Naruto was cradling his head.

Itachi immediently made for the gun again; but was met instead with a foot in the face. Iruka took a step back, surveying his handiwork (er...sort of). Itachi gasped, holding his bleeding nose, forgetting for a moment the gun (yes, he's an idiot, _gomenasai!). _When he tried to get up, the gunman found himself pinned to the ground. Kakashi set his foot on his back and shifted all his weight to that leg. "It's over."

Itachi snarled, "What makes you say that?!"

Kakashi held up his cellphone. "Because I called the police about five minutes ago," he said, still freakishly calm. Iruka paid him no mind, however, and was at Naruto's side in record time (yes, people keep track; they _time _him).

"Naruto? Naruto, can you hear me?" Iruka asked anxiously, gripping the boy's shoulders. Sasuke knelt at Iruka's side, compelely ignoring the struggling Itachi, and the calm Kakashi who sat on him.

"Yes, Iruka-sir, I can here you," Naruto moaned, rubbing the back of his skull. "I'm not going deaf--and _no _I have _not _suffered mild _or _severe head trauma, _thank you."_

Iruka was relieved--VERY relieved--to here Naruto's telltale sarcasm, but wasn't going to let anything go just then. "You are an _idiot, _Naruto!" he yelled, suddenly livid. Both boys flinched back, stunned to silence. "What would you have done if he shot you?!"

"Umm...died?"

Iruka twitched. "And you're _okay _with that? After all that time in the hospital, all the effort it took for you to get healthy again, you go and almost get _shot _by a murderer with a _gun! _Tell me the logic behind that!"

Naruto blinked, and then his eyes narrowed. "Oh, yeah," he said vaguely, something dawning on him. He stood, Sasuke immediately jumping up to brace him lest he fall, and turned to Itachi as sirens began to flash outside. "You can't have Sasuke. He's ours."

**More of a filler, I know...But it's not over yet!! They've still gotta meet Kiba, and Hinata, and Sakura-teme and Shikamaru, and...all those peoples...XD Review, please!! And please don't flame...!**


	7. Part 7

**Thanks so much for all your reviews!! I want some of you--if you'd like--to check out my semi-new fic called **_**Tails of Team Seven. **_**It's rather amusing...Okies, time to get started! If any of you have an interesting plot twist you'd like to see happen, give it to me and I may use it. Lord knows I'm running out of ideas.**

_Broken Glass (Part 7)-_

_Daddy!_

Kakashi filed the papers with extreme care. Sliding them into place, he slid shut the file cabinet door and locked it carefully, placing the key back onto it's ring rather than tossing it onto his desk. He shoved his hands in his pockets and stared at the completed paperwork. _It finally happened._

---

Kurenai was leaning against the doorway, smiling at the scene unfolding in her kitchen. Just about every child currently in residence at the orphanage was crowded around Naruto, Sasuke and Iruka. Kyuubi had retreated to Naruto's shirt, and was hissing quietly in annoyance. Sasuke was squirming, answering all the questions thrown at him impatiently, tapping his fingers on the table. Naruto had slipped from his seat and was currently under the table. Kids kept trying to peer under it, but never got farther than the tablecloth. Finally, Kakashi came down from filing the papers Iruka had just signed, and all was silent. Kurenai never ceased to ponder his amazing ability to make everyone shut the hell up without even saying a word.

Naruto poked his head out from under the table; Iruka and Sasuke glanced over at the silver-haired man. Kakashi nodded. "Yeah, it's official. From now on, you two are Naruto Uzumaki Umino, and Sasuke Uchiha Umino. And _you--" _here he nodded at Iruka, who blinked "--get the noble role of their _father."_

There was a slight pause. Then--

"_AWRIGHT!" _Naruto leaped up, and succeeded only in hitting his head on the table. Kyuubi jumped onto the table, washing a paw, and Naruto climbed up from his knees, beaming despite the growing lump on his head. "Now we can call you Dad, Iruka-sir!"

Sasuke was shaking, tensed; but didn't know why. He was staring at Iruka, waiting for the man's reaction. If the man hesitated even a second, Sasuke wasn't sure if he could trust him.

As it was, Iruka's face just gentled and he dropped his hand on the beaming Naruto's head, ruffling his blonde spikes with an obvious outward show of affection. "Good," the doctor said with a smile. The children watched Sasuke's smile slowly form across his usually sullen face, as the dark-haired boy tripped over to his new father and brother; Naruto and Sasuke Umino buried themselves in their new father's arms, unsure whether to laugh or to cry.

---

"Please, Iruka-sir?"

"No."

Kakashi watched his former charge and his charge's friend try to weed a yes out of the stoic doctor before them. He made no move to step in and help the man; there was nothing good on T.V., and this was by far more amusing.

Naruto's mode switched from begging to negotiating in under two seconds. "But I wanna! Sasuke's always over at the hospital, and it's not like there's a comfy place for him to _sleep! _Besides, this would be my first ever sleepover! And I can help Sasuke pack tonight!! It _is _his last night here!"

Kakashi felt an unexplainable pang at those words, although his face didn't change.

"No, Naruto. I don't want you to push yourself too far."

"But...but, I'm _fine! _Lookat me, I'm _fine!"_

_Where have I heard that before? _"No, and that's the end of it."

Iruka stood, gathering his coat in one arm, and holding the other out to the blonde boy. "Come on, time to go."

Sasuke bowed his head in grudging defeat; but Naruto gripped the hem of his shirt, somehow widening his suddenly shining eyes, the image of angel-like innocence and pleading perfected by the bringing up of his other hand like a puppy, and mumbled, _"Pleeaaaase, Daddy?"_

---

"Push-over."

"But I didn't see that one coming!"

"You should better prepare yourself. They'll use that a lot in the future, now that they know it'll work."

"I'll start building up my defenses."

"See that you do."

A bemused Kakashi waved goodbye to the remoresful Iruka as the latter made his way to his car. Then the doctor turned around, all playfullness gone, and said seriously, "Look after them."

Kakashi smiled slightly, shoving his hands back into his pockets, eyes curving into intoverted Us. "Like I needed to be told."

---

"What's your name?"

"Umm...Naruto."

"Naruto? Who's that!"

"Uh, Kyuubi."

"Can I pet her!"

"NO! And it's a _HIM!"_

"Aww, I wanna pet her!"

"_HIM!!--GET AWAY!! Sasuke! Heads up!"_

Sasuke glanced up in time to see the little orange fox flying towards him. He gasped, arms flying up to catch him, but the delicate creature landed on his head instead of his open arms. He laughed, and made a mad dash for the stairs. He nearly plowed down Kakashi, who was returning from seeing Iruka off, and managed to slip lithely past him.

"What's the rush?"

"The Freaks are harrasing Naruto," he whined, tugging at Kakashi's shirt. "Make 'em stop!"

Kakashi would forever ponder the effect Naruto had on Sasuke, but decided to let it go for a moment. "Okay," he said simply, waving the dark-haired boy away. "I'll take care of it."

And he stepped into chaos. All the orphans were packed into the same small room--Kakashi got the feeling that even a few of the kids from down the street were there--and were yelling at the top of their lungs. It reminded him of a protest riot that deranged environmentalists staged against beauty salons. Somewhow, Naruto had clambered onto the top of the fridge, and was perched like a gargoyle from his superior height, staring down aghast at the sea of screaming adolescents.

"Kakashi-sir!" he yelled wildly, flapping his arms, letting go of the fridge for one perilous moment; apparently that one moment of his un-hanging on was all it took for him to fall as one of the children jarred the refridgerator and sent him tumbling head-first toward the suddenly cleared kitchen floor.

He landed safely in the arms of Kakashi, who had some freakishly fast reflex genes. Kakashi mused, "Starting the party so soon, Naruto? I though it would have taken another few hours at least for you to turn this orphanage into a madhouse. Seems I've underestimated you again, haven't I?"

He expected abashed silence; not for the sarcastic banter to continue from Naruto's end. "Yeah, well, I won't hold it against you. Seems like all adults these days are underestimating kids. Except Iru...Dad. And you don't either, Kakashi-sir, usually."

It suddenly occured to Kakashi that the '-sir' title he had unwittingly recieved was a sign that Naruto trusted him enough to respect him. He had no idea _how _he'd acquired this trust, or what he'd done to deserve it, but he would just play along. No use trying to fix something that isn't broken.

"Hey," he said quietly, and all the noise ceased to exist. Naruto gave him a sideways glance. "Go to bed, all of you."

The kitchen was instantly cleared.

Naruto blinked. "Why'd they all listen to you?"

Kakashi's answer was mild as he walked out into the hallway. "Because they all seem to be afraid of me."

Sasuke oggled at them, then looked accusingly at the gray-haired man. "Why're you holding him?!"

Kakashi had actually forgotten he was. He set the blonde boy down, inwardly amazed at how light he was. Naruto accepted a bristling Kyuubi from Sasuke, and then muttered confidentially, "I think we should be a little quieter tonight than we'd originally planned."

**Sorry it's on the short side!! Please review!! And yes, this was another filler chapter. Gomen nasai!!**


	8. Part 8

**Thanks so much for all the reviews!! -beam- It means a lot that you like my fic so much! Okay, I'm going to move the story forward a little--I hope. A lot is weighing against this chapter, so let's just see how it turns out, 'kay?**

_Broken Glass (Part 8)-_

_New Home, New Life, New Furniture_

"Ah! Well, I think that's everything!"

The boy's stood back and surveyed their handiwork. Sasuke's attic room was now completely bare, bed stripped, walls cleared. The black-haired boy grinned at his brother. "This is gonna be great!"

---

It was a modest house, set in a clamer part of New York City. It had a green lawn, something that the entire family was elated to see, two stories and an attic. It was white with sky blue trim and shingled. The porch was a wraparound, from one side, across the front, and to the other. The front door was made of heavy oak, painted white, with a large, oval-shaped stained-glass window. On either side of the door were two large square windows with shades pulled half way up.

The interior was ordinary, and bland. White walls, white carpet, white ceiling. _That _would have to go. The first room upon stepping inside was the large den. There was a white ceiling fan--not connected of course--hanging still off the ceiling, and no furniture. There were patches of lighter-colored carpet where furniture had been, but it was currently M.I.A. A few steps away from the front door, there was another room off the right of the entrance. From the way it was fashioned, and the face that there was a small hall leading to the kitchen, pointed out that this room was probably the dining room.

Next to the kitchen, still in the hall adjoining it and the dining room, were the stairs. They weren't too glamorous, and not too plain. Upstairs were the bedroom and bathrooms; two bedrooms, two bathrooms. There was what had to be the master bedroom, slightly larger than the other, with two large windows offering a view of the backyard. There was a large closet, and another door, which, when opened, led into the first of the two bathrooms, with a large bathtub that doubled as a shower, a large marble countertop, and a big, ornate mirror. The other bathroom was across the hall from the guest bedroom, with the same bath/shower.

Despite the fact that it was a bit smaller, what the second bedroom lacked in size it made up for in light. There was one huge window, almost ceiling to floor, leaving enough room from the carpet to the sill for a small couch. This window also looked down upon the yard behind the house, which sported a large oak tree with several low branches, throwing plenty of shade onto the healthy green grass, and a generously sized pool. (Not a cheap plastic store-bought thing, one actually dug into the ground.) From the bedrooms, you could safely watch storms with rain pelting harmlessly the glass, or welcome the shafts of light that would introduce the rising sun, and also the gentler moonbeams of the silver orb before one falls asleep.

Iruka didn't even look at the price. He turned to the seller, and announced, "It's mine."

---

A few days later, the man selling the house was standing with the man--a well-known doctor--who bought it, watching movers hauling furniture into the building. The doctor's sons were watching with amusement and excitment, and insisted upon helping them; the mover's obliged reluctantly, unsure how much weight to trust with the little boys. Even the pet. a little fox, was trying to drag a rug in.

Four days later, they were officially moved in. They traded the white carpet with navy blue, and painted the ceilings and walls the same blue as the house's trim. The boy's shared the smaller bedroom--they liked the window. (And yes, they slid a couch under it. XD They stole it from the living room.)

_One week later..._

"Boys!" Iruka called up the stairs. "You start school tomorrow!"

_"WHOOOO!!"_

Iruka blinked. Not the reaction he'd been expecting. He shrugged; easier for him. "Hurry up and get your baths done. I've got the popcorn popping--if you can beat the microwave, we can watch a movie. If not, it's off to bed."

There was several thumps and yelps of pain. He watched Sasuke dash across the hall to the first bathroom, pajamas in hand, and Naruto race into the one in Iruka's room.

He turned to look back at the clock.

_Two minutes later..._

_Ding! _Iruka smiled, taking the bag out of the microwave and pouring it's contents into a large bowl. Turning around, he saw his boys, both sopping wet and one clinging to a fox, panting in front of him. "Aww," Naruto seemed to deflate, much like a puppy. "We didn't make it."

Iruka tousled their hair. "You were close enough."

**See, I know that was disturbingly short, but I was really anxious to update! The ending was rushed, I know, and it was another filler-type chapters, but...! Please don't flame, I'll try to update again soon!**


	9. Part 9

**I'm so sorry this upate took so long.**

**And I've got more bad news.**

**I won't be able to update any of my fics for a few weeks. I'm sorry!**

**Please don't get impatient!! I'll update them as soon as I get the time! Even if I don't have the time, I'll **_**make the time, **_**as soon as I get access to a computer!!**

_Broken Glass (Part 9)-_

_School: Friend or Foe?_

"This is gonna be so great!"

He was dressed in his usual, white T with a black spiral taking up the entire front, but he'd traded his tennis shoes for black cargo boots with a single buckle instead of laces. (Think about it! Naruto would look _so cute in this outfit!!) _He hadn't attempted anything with his unruly hair: he never did. Sasuke, likewise, was in his usual attire, white shorts and a navy-blue T-shirt with a high collar all the way around his neck; he wore black tennis shoes.

Their father smiled at them and told them that if they were feeling nervous, he could walk in with them. Naruto's grin faded, and he looked uncomfortably thoughtful for a moment, glancing at Sasuke who, without meeting his gaze, nodded slightly. Naruto grimaced, and spun back around to face his father--an imaginable feat while wearing a seatbelt--and said loudly, "But not 'cause we're scared!"

"Yeah," Sasuke agreed ferventl. "We don't want you to worry, that's all."

Iruka smiled. _My little machos. _However, they dropped their cheerful facade and peered worriedly out the window as the car drew nearer the school. Finally, Iruka pulled up to the school entrance and parked the car. Both boys tumbled quickly out, but made no move to go in. They stared at the double doors not unlike the way convicts stare at prison bars. Iruka put his keys in his back pocket and smiled at them again. "Ready guys?"

Of course, it was Naruto who answered for them; "Uhh, yeah", while Sasuke just kind of nodded sickly. Now Iruka was afraid that if they waited any longer they'd back out; he wouldn't mind--it'd be cute--but he knew it would have been a blow to both boys' pride. So he put an arm around each with an encouraging grin. "Then let's go."

---

It wasn't as scary as they thought it'd be.

It was worse.

The minute they walked through the classroom door, all the students' eyes were on them. They shifted awkwardly, gazes meeting the ground. Iruka gave them a little push, saying, "Introduce yourselves to the other kids, okay? I'm going to talk to your teacher." Normally, Sasuke would have cocked a brow with a suspicious frown, and Naruto would have demanded to know why he was going to talk to their future educator; as it was, they both nodded mutely, clutching their new messenger bags tighter (messenger bags are the book bags with one strap that goes over your shoulder, y'know?). Theirs was different from the other children's bookbags; they were barren of any cartoon characters, race cars or tigers--they were each a solid color, the boys' respective favorite color: navy blue for Sasuke, and bright orange for Naruto.

The class got up to crowd around them; Sasuke felt Naruto make himself smaller, shrink behind the bag that he brought up slightly to hide the lower half of his eyes. Sasuke frowned--he hadn't missed the scars all over his brother's body: probably having been bestowed either before Naruto was found by the hospital, or on one of his many forbidden excursions. In any case, Sasuke knew why Naruto was scared; large crowds meant pain for him. So he stepped slightly in front of him, unconciously slipping into a defensive glare, warning the class off his brother without saying a word.

(That would have been KAWAII to see!!)

The class stared: then finally, a voice rosed, "They. Are. _Cute."_

Silence: the speaker, a pink-haired girl, fluttered her fingers at Sasuke, who blanched and took a quick step back, right into Naruto, who tumbled a few steps back to knock against Iruka. Iruka sighed, picking them both back up. They grinned widely--"Aww, you love us and you know it!"--and he rolled his eyes before returning to his conversation with a bemused teacher.

The class might have started in on some friendly banter, if Naruto's snickers not broken off suddenly. His hand flew to his pocket and Sasuke groaned, glancing around to make sure their father hadn't saw. Naruto, looking stricken, clamped his hand over the mouth of the pocket.

Sasuke looked pleadingly at the one almost-ally they'd made, the pink-haired girl; she spun to face the rest of the class. "Ino," she chirped sweetly. A pale-blonde haired girl skipped forwad and leaned in close when the pink-haired girl gestured at her ear. Whatever was whispered to her made Ino smile, and she glanced back at Sasuke, who still stood tensely half in front of Naruto, and Naruto, who seemed to be wrestling with his pocket. "Sure thing, Sakura," she said, then turned around and took complete control of the classroom. "Don't say a _word,_" she warned her peers, who, sensing an adventure in the drab little classroom, obliged.

A little red head poked itself out of Naruto's pocket. Naruto bit back a gasp and shoved it back in just as Iruka and their teacher--Mrs. Tsunade--turned around. Sasuke flew--intsinctively, really, since Naruto was always wreaking havoc--in front of him. "Well, I see you've made some new friends," the doctor said, smiling at the two girls, who smiled innocently back. "What're you're names?

"Sakura, sir, and this is Ino."

He smiled at them again, and then turned to face his boys: "You two..._be-have." _He broke the word into two syllables for maximum implification. (Ha ha, made up word.)

"Heh, heh, don't worry, it'll be _great,_" Sasuke said, leading him to the door. "See you at two, right?"

"Bye, Dad!" Naruto called, waving with his free arm. The class was amazed at how these two playacted: it made them all the more silent. Who would tattle on the future class clowns? If it were to be these two boys' duty to ensure disorder and havoc in classroom 302, who were were they to get in the way of the line of duty?

"Okay, boys," Mrs. Tsunade said, stepping up next to them suddenly enough to make them whip around; Naruto, unable to balance himself with both arms, fell against Sasuke, who yelped at the abrupt contact. Mrs. Tsunade blinked, then continued, voice raised slightly over the class's giggles, "Would you like to introduce yourselves?"

"I'm Sasuke Uchiha Umino," Sasuke said to draw attention away from his brother long enough for the latter to compose himself. "And this is Naruto Uzumaki Umino." Naruto waved with a weak grin, shoving his other hand into his wild pocket so he could hold down whatever was straining to get out with more subtlety. He yanked his hand back out a second later, shifting weight from foot to foot, sucking on his finger with a pained expression. Thankfully, Mrs. Tsunade's back was to him as he glared down at his biting pocket.

"And are you boys brothers?" she asked.

"Uh-huh!" Naruto was suddenly at Sasuke's side, throwing an arm around his shoulders and hanging off him. Sasuke looked playfully less than thrilled. "And Iruka-sir is our Dad!"

The woman smiled, and her gaze swept across the classroom. One boy was ravenously eating a bag of chips; the boy next to him was asleep across his desk; the desk in front of the tired boy was filled by another boy, who was hugging a wriggling mound in his sweatshirt close to him to keep it still. "Shikamaru?" The sleeping boy glanced up. "Can Naruto and Sasuke have the seats to your left?"

Shikamaru glanced at his neighbor, who'd polished off the chips and was working on a juicebox, then muttered, "What a drag. I don't care."

Naruto took the seat next to him, Sasuke in the one next to Naruto. They slid their bags under their desks; then Naruto slid forward so the creature in his pocket wouldn't get squashed. As Mrs. Tsunade began to instruct them on a new game that would help them to learn each other's names, Sasuke hissed, _"Na-ru-to! Take Kyuubi out of there! He's gonna suffocate!" _Shikamaru and Chouji looked over--the first looking like he'd rather be anywhere else, the second like he wouldn't mind more junk food--to see Naruto withdraw a fox out of his pocket and let him settle on his shoulder. (You know how some boys' pants have pockets that are _really _deep? Well, we'll just pretend like Naruto has one of those pockets, for the story's sake.) Even Shikamaru's eyes widened, and both boys leaned closer to Naruto's desk. Naruto shook his head tightly, a pleading warning in his eyes, and at that second the teacher turned round--

--to find all four boys quietly reading the start-of-school papers she'd had a quiet little girl named Hinata pass out to each of them. When Hinata passed Naruto, head ducked, she happened to meet his gaze; he beamed at her, and took the paper from her rather than wait for her to lay it down, whispering so the teacher wouldn't hear, "Thanks, Hinata!" and she'd blushed brilliantly.

However, when the teacher turned back around to face the blackboard, Sasuke began fashioning a paper airplane out of his, while Naruto crumpled his up into a ball and began playing catch with Chouji over Shikamaru--who, might I point out, looked _thrilled._

A white furry head poked itself out of Kiba's--the boy who sat in front of Shikamaru--shirt. It sniffed. Kyuubi bristled, digging needle-point claws into Naruto's shoulder, who clenched his teeth and tried to pry the animal off before Mrs. Tsunade would notice.

He saw the dog at the same time Sasuke and Shikamaru did. Sasuke gasped, the sound startling Kyuubi, who'd tensed up, into leaping off Naruto's shoulder.

Shikamaru, seeing that the dog was preparing to leap after the fox, slid down in his seat a few inches, gripping the sides of his desk tightly, and kicked Kiba's desk forward about four feet with a sudden blunt strength, sending it colliding with the desks in front.

(That's my Shika-kun! So smart and awesome!)

This gave Kyuubi time to make it onto the back counter, and then onto the head of the fake skeleton used for science class, and it also gave Kiba time to try and get his dog under control. But seeing the orange animal run away made the dog want to chase it.

"AKAMARU! _NO!"_

"KYUUBI! _RUN!"_

Soon the whole class was involved; Shikamaru ordered--looking rather bored--for half the class to try to corner and calm Kyuubi, and for the other half to catch Akamaru.

"Kiba," Mrs. Tsunade called calmly over the noise, "Naruto. Come here."

They trooped obediently to her desk, where she sat coolly despite the chaos raging around her. "Tell me; why did you bring your pets to school?"

Kiba shouted, "Akamaru and I have been together since I was a baby! We go everywhere together! I can't just start neglecting him because of school! He's my number one priority!"

She only nodded. "And you, Naruto?"

He stared up at her, gaze too insolent to be considered humble. Mrs. Tsunade could feel the mistrust coming off him in waves, could see the fierce independence in his very blue eyes. "Kyuubi got me through some really rough times," were the words he chose. "He was there for me when no one else was. That's different now...but he was still my first friend."

Kiba nodded furiously. "Same with Akamaru! He's...he's..." He looked to Naruto for help.

"He's like family," the blonde said thoughtfully, and the brunette nodded tersely.

Mrs. Tsunade paused, watching the two boys break into long discussions about their pets; slowly their differences seemed to melt away and they laughed together, veterans of the Pet War sharing their stories. Then she smiled. "Well, then your pets are welcome."

There was silence.

"You...you mean it?" Kiba asked slowly, excitement gradually coming to life in his voice. When the teacher nodded he cheered and slapped a high-five with Naruto.

"But."

"Aaaaghh." Naruto's eyes narrowed into a glare at the teacher; it was more than general insolence--it seemed like he had a reason to fear and hate all adults: it made her curious. "Here comes the catch."

"The day you come to here without your pet, I call your parents and ask them why it isn't here," she warned.

Naruto snorted and Kiba rolled his eyes. But before either of them could say what they were planning, a soft voice whispered, "A-Ah, K-Kiba?"

They turned around--Mrs. Tsunade peering around her desk--to see Hinata. She was holding a content looking Akamaru in an easy hug-hold; he layed their happily, moving his snout up every few minutes to lick her chin as she absently pet him. "Ahh, thanks, Hinata!" Kiba reached to take Akamaru from her, and settled him in the front of his sweatshirt, zipping it up so that his head could poke out comfortably. He settled like he sat their often, and Naruto scratched his ears; he panted, then licked the boy's fingers.

"U-Umm, Kiba?" Hinata whispered. "Could, could N-Narut and Sasuke c-come to your party as well? I-I don't want to be rude--"

"That's a great idea, Hinata!" he said clapping her on the shoulder. He gazed around the room, then called, "Oy! Shino! Can the Uminos come to our party? Eh? Awesome!" He turned back to Naruto. "It's Friday, five o'clock. Ah, shi--" Seeing the teacher's pointed stare, he hurriedly continued, "I know I have the address written down already--" as he searched through his pockets.

Hinata held out a small slip of folded paper out to Naruto with trembling fingers. "Here," she whispered.

He took it from her, peering into her face. "Why are you so scared all the time?" he asked quietly. When both Kiba and Hinata fell silent, he continued, "From the sound of it, you've got two awesome friends who're lookin' out for you." Hinata looked up at Kiba who grinned at her. "And now me 'n Sasuke'll look after you t--"

Sasuke was suddenly at Naruto's side, hitting him in the side of the head. "Aggh, I caught Kyuubi for you!"

Unfazed as he rubbed his head, Naruto let the fox settle on his shoulder. "Thanks, Sasuke!" he said cheerfully, making some of the dark-haired boy's mock-annoyance fade.

"Ehh..."

"We're goin' to a party Friday!" Naruto said excitedly.

"Eh? Really? Whose party?"

"Kiba's, Hinata's and Shino's."

Sasuke grinned. "Awesome."

But suddenly, Naruto turned to Kiba with a doleful expression on his whiskered face.

"Are pets allowed?"

**Thaaaaat's a lousy shot at humor. Short, too. Ah, well.**

**TWO WEEKS.**

_**TWO WEEKS IS ALL I ASK. Pleeeease, keep reading! **_**Just wait two weeks!**


	10. Part 10

** Ahh, finally an update. I hope you're all as excited as I am! Well, I'm more excited about the reviews than I am about reading it, but…. Anywho! Moving on! This is **_**not **_**SasuNaru or SasuHina. If anything, it's NaruHina, but I think they're all a little too young for any relationships right now. Not to mention the only one of those three pairings that I agree with is the last one.**

**Oh, yeah—and this chapter is kind of on the angsty side. Please don't flame, okay? Oops, one more thing; Neji and Hinata aren't related in this fic. -**.**- Sorry, it just didn't work out. **

**The long-awaited update! Lezz go; dattebayo all the way!**

_Broken Glass (Part 10)-_

_Bonds_

Shino's house was huge. It took up an entire corner of the busiest part of New York. His parents were financially fit for life, both intelligent and successful, one as a realtor and the other a travel agent.

Everyone stood in the doorway and stared in open-mouth awe at the spacious, high-ceilinged innards of the monstrous home. Excluding Kiba, who plopped down on the floor with his dog and flicked the ceiling-to-floor plasma television on, and Hinata, who quickly ducked into the kitchen to get drinks and snacks. Shino himself beckoned everyone inside, then closed the door, moving, like always, deliberately slow.

The 'party' was actually like a huge co-ed sleepover. Movies, popcorn, soda, candy—a lot of candy—and pillow fights. Shino, Hinata and Kiba had rearranged the furniture before Shino's guests arrived, pushing it all against the walls to create one wide empty plane for raucous play.

The guest list included Kiba, Hinata (both of whom already spend an enormous amount of their daily lives at their houses or Shino's anyway), Naruto, Sasuke (who were the first invited, which led to the inviting of other people), Sakura, Ino (who were both infatuated with the Uminos), Shikamaru (Naruto's new buddy), Chouji (Shikamaru's best friend), Neji, Lee, Tenten (a group of good friends transferred from Jersey, invited to help them feel more accepted), and of course Akamaru and Kyuubi (who would have come anyway).

Shino's parents were in their offices, coming out every five hours or so to make sure there wasn't a fire, or to grab a chilled mocha latte from the expensive ice vendor in the kitchen. The kids pretty much ignored the adults, and vice versa. It worked out well; while the party did get loud and rough, it was all in good fun, and no one got hurt. Shino's parents left at some point, but no one cared at all.

Immediately, everyone there became friends with everyone else, something only younger kids can do, looking past appearances and into the person themselves, a feat that's all but impossible for adults. They formed a twelve-person (fourteen if you counted the pets), live-or-die, stand strong together, face the end but fight it all the way, pack. Of course, there were still a few groups of friends that would always be a little closer than to the entire 'pack' in general, but ultimately it went without saying.

At one point, Hinata stood, politely excusing herself from a conversation with Tenten and Sakura, and slipped out the front door for a 'bit of fresh air'. Naruto broke off talking with Sasuke, Shikamaru and Kiba and watched her go. "Kiba," he said after a minute. "What's Hinata's story?"

Had anyone else asked, Kiba probably would have refused to tell; but Naruto sincerely cared, and he could tell it. He didn't send the other two away; Naruto would tell Sasuke even if he were threatened within an inch of his life no to, and Shikamaru was smarter than most adults, so he would figure it out sooner or later if he hadn't already.

"Her dad…drinks." Kiba's voice was low and full of anger; Akamaru growled softly deep in his throat. "And he hits her. He hits her hard."

Sasuke felt Naruto tense next to him. He glanced over at the blonde; he was clenching his fists tightly, completely rigid. Kyuubi crawled up his arm and onto his shoulder, whining anxiously. Sasuke knew at once why; Iruka had told him about Naruto's beatings—how older children or adults would see him and choose to kick or hit him until he blacked out in the days before the hospital. It made Sasuke all the more angrier (imagine the intense rage) to think of the same thing being done to a girl as gentle and sweet as Hinata.

"Well," Naruto struggled to keep his voice light, "she's not there anymore. She's here, with the people who'll look out for her."

"And kick anyone's ass who tries to hurt her," Shikamaru added, a little fire in his usually bored voice.

None of the children thought to involve any adults in the situation. Not only would it make Hinata's father angrier, endangering Hinata even more, but the chances of anyone believing them were low; and the four in conversation about it hadn't always had an adult in their life to depend on. It made more sense to them just to keep it amongst themselves; keep it among the people who would do anything to help Hinata, nothing compromising.

"The movie's coming on," Shino said quietly, suddenly, from where he stood beside the television. As everyone shifted around to face the screen, Shino sat down beside Kiba. Naruto leapt up just as the FBI warning came on.

"I'll go get Hinata!" He told them and raced to the foyer after depositing Kyuubi on Sasuke's lap. Shikamaru shifted over to save his spot, and Sasuke fell against him tiredly. Chouji settled on Shikamaru's other side; on Sasuke's other side, there was still a vacant spot, between him and Kiba, which was where Naruto would most likely be sitting in a few moments.

Most likely.

---

After about ten minutes, everyone kind of frowned together. Kyuubi was restless, pawing at Sasuke's shirt and racing back and forth from the den to the foyer. Sasuke tried to put the gnawing anxiety out of his mind; tried to watch the previews for the new movies coming to theaters with some interest, but it was feigned. It was his obvious unease that roused everyone else's discomfort. Shikamaru had kind of shifted to a kneeling, ready-to-stand position, and Chouji had followed suit. Tenten was whispering to Lee and Neji with wide, worried eyes; she'd really taken to Hinata.

Finally, Sasuke stood and ran to the door, gripping the handle and throwing it open with reckless abandon; right behind him was all of class 302. As soon as it was open, Kyuubi was gone, having streaked out it as soon as the crack was wide enough for him to slip through.

They got outside conveniently in time for the scream.They gasped collectively when they saw the figures silhouetted against the street lights a few blocks away. There were two smaller ones, one falling to their knees, hovering over one that had obviously just fallen; the bigger one was kind of hunched, but still very huge—from their viewpoint (they're kids, dangit)—and was pulling back his arm.

He'd just hit Naruto. Hard.

The children didn't know what to do. They're limbs wouldn't work. They knew what they wanted to do—go defend Naruto—but they knew they had no chance. They knew what they should do—call the cops—but some part of them hesitated; what if something were to happen while they were gone? Not a single one of them was ready to miss anything.

As much as they wanted to, they were too afraid to move forward. The hyperactive little blonde boy had just been struck down by an older man, a drunk.

And then he stood back up.

Everyone watched him pull himself back to his feet, still somewhat crouched in the defensive protective in front of the sobbing Hinata. She had been hugging him close to her, pale lavender eyes wide on the huge man towering over them; when he stood, she gripped his arm tightly with both her shaking hands. _"I said," _they heard him whisper, even from so far away (again, they're kids; they were only about two or three blocks away), his voice carrying in the night air, _"leave her alone, you drunken bastard." _

The man hit him again; this time he staggered, but Hinata braced him. He didn't let himself fall, leaning into the support she gave him. He glared up at the man, head bowed so his face was shadowed in the dim light. His usually liquid cerulean blue eyes were hard and steely, somehow managed to catch the light and gleam; they flashed unforgivingly. His fox was at his feet, snarling lethally; it terrified them more than if he had been a wildcat.

Sasuke felt a deep, aching sensation in the bottom of his stomach. He found himself traveling forward, feet moving subconsciously, taking him away from the safety he had with the others. And when he realized it, he didn't stop himself—he began to run. His feet hit the concrete hard. He hadn't been there to protect Naruto in the beginning. He hadn't been there to help him stand, to mop the blood off his face, to help him walk when he was beaten by strangers who were bored enough to bully a child. He had almost gotten him killed by helping him sneak out of the hospital and not making sure he got back alright; he could have _died. _

Never again.

They were making new friends; that had never happened. Already, Shikamaru, Chouji and Kiba were warming to Naruto, and so was Lee; and it was obvious Naruto had taken a strangely protective liking to Hinata ((Don't get perverted, peoples; he's nine, all right? Jeez)). But Sasuke wasn't jealous; Sakura, Ino, Shino and Neji had taken a liking to him as well. But he knew—he didn't think or guess, he _knew—_that no matter how many friends they made at school, it would always be Naruto and Sasuke, brothers and best friends 'til the end.

Some abusive, alcoholic father was not going to change that.

He heard his friends gasp, and someone—he thought Kiba—reached for him to pull him back, but he pulled his arm forward in time for them to grasp nothing but thin air. He heard Shikamaru's anxious, "Aaggh, so troublesome!!" and Neji's quiet, "Oh, no."

He got there in time to take the next hit for his little brother. ((You know, 'cause Naruto's the littlest of the Rookie Nine even though he's the same age, or younger?))

"Sasuke!" Naruto cried when the dark-haired boy stumbled back from the force of the hit.

"Save some concern for yourself, Naruto," his brother said softly; blood was trickling down the blonde's face from his hairline, and from the corner of his mouth.

"Heh, this loser's got no sense of _balance!" _On the last word Naruto dropped low and struck the man's ankles with a roundhouse kick. He successfully knocked the man down. "And balance effects how you hit." Sasuke grinned at him.

It was amazing; had he been alone, Sasuke would have found the situation terrifying—but when concerning Naruto, he was suddenly able to race _toward _the danger, willingly accept a strong punch, and then sit back and joke about it.

Naruto was suddenly on his feet again, and he turned to Hinata. "Can you walk?" he asked with soft concern. She nodded, still wide-eyed and trembling. He stared at her for maybe half a second, before turning and ordering her to climb on, piggy-back style. She was too shaken to argue; then he and Sasuke were running. There was no doubt in Sasuke's mind that Naruto would have stayed to fight if he hadn't had Hinata to protect.

His run was unsteady; Sasuke noticed, but said nothing. Now wasn't the time.

Everyone moved aside, ushered them in. Shino locked the door with a heavy bolt thing, and Shikamaru immediately moved around the house, making sure all doors and windows were _shut _and _locked. _"Barricade the front door," he ordered over his shoulder without looking at any of them. He didn't have to turn around to see that his orders were being obeyed.

Hinata had stopped sobbing, but tears were streaming down her face. Naruto was hugging her with one arm, chin resting on her head. Although he was neglected when he was smaller, even though he had no one, he was still so good at comforting everyone around him with a whispered word, a soft touch.

Sasuke asked Shino for the phone; he provided a sleek cordless one from the table just outside the foyer. He tried to dial his home phone number, but his hands were shaking so badly he kept messing up the number. The movie was still playing, but no one moved to turn it off. All eyes were on him and Naruto and Hinata. Finally a bruised hand crossed Sasuke's vision, and took the phone from him.

Naruto dialed the number quickly and held the phone to his ear with his free hand. It amazed them—minus Sasuke—how calm he was, even though he'd just been beaten around by a drunken man. "C'mon, c'mon, c'_mon,_" he whispered pleadingly to no one in particular. "Ah! Dad? _Thank you,_" he whispered to the ceiling. "Dad, we need you and Kakashi-sir, now, to come to Shino's house." ((Kakashi's a moocher that hangs around the Uminos' house for a good meal, since Kurenai refuses to cook for him.)) "Please, daddy," he said softly. "It's real bad over here. I can't explain everything now, but Hinata's dad is after 'er and he's—"

_BAM!!_

Everyone kind of started, the girls crying out, the boys yelping, as someone threw their weight, hard, against the front door. The barricade that had been pressed against the door shuddered, and Shikamaru, this time with Chouji, leapt up to repeat the rounds of the house. It was unspoken now, the buddy system; keep a friend with you.

"Y-Yeah, dad, that was him," Naruto said, forcing calm into his voice. "We got the doors locked and stuff, but….No, she's fine, she's here with me….Yeah, everyone's inside, dad, we got that part taken care of, we just—"

_BAM!!_

"Okay, I won't," Naruto said, firmly gripping the cordless. "Yeah. Uh-huh. Okay. …Dad?" He met his friends' eyes. "Hurry."

Naruto wordlessly handed the phone back to Shino, looking very pale; he kind of swayed where he sat cross-legged on the floor. He was aware of Shino and Kiba pulling Hinata gently away from him, Kiba wrapping both arms firmly around her, Shino slipping an arm around her shoulders; Akamaru licked her fingers, whining. Chouji, Shikamaru and Sasuke sat in front of Naruto, who shut his eyes sickly. "Sasuke," he whispered after a minute.

"Yeah?"

"My head…hurts, really bad…"

Sasuke's eyes widened in alarm. Headaches were a bad sign; sometimes they meant nothing, but usually it meant Naruto was near collapsing with fever or fatigue. Naruto leaned heavily against him, gripping his head, refusing to make a sound as Kyuubi burrowed close to his neck on his shoulder. Sasuke wouldn't meet anyone's eyes.

"Okay, Naruto. You'll be okay."

---

Somehow, he got in.

There was no where for them to hide—all the furniture had been pushed against the walls for the party—so they huddled together in the most easily defendable corner of the room, as per Shikamaru. Shino disappeared into the storm room, and an instant after he disappeared from sight, the lights went out, leaving them in the dark. He came back a minute later, telling them in his soft voice that he'd shut the power off.

The darkness gave them a better chance of _not being found._

But it seemed to amplify sound; class 302 could hear each other's heavy breathing, and in Naruto's case, hoarse wheezes. Sasuke had an arm around Naruto's shoulders, trying to will his lungs to work properly just by being there. _Please keep breathing, Naruto…. _The kid didn't have asthma or anything, but after all that had happened, and his overwrought anxiety—he seemed to feel responsible for everyone around him, little as he was—it left him a little breathless; and his headaches were more like pounding, aching migraines that threatened to split one's head open if one thought too hard.

It was the shattering window that announced Mr. Hyuuga's entrance, light from the moon glinting eerily off the broken glass. Hinata whimpered, and everyone pressed in closer around her.

They saw the lumbering form cut an outline against the streetlights shining dimly in through the broken window. Hyuuga took a few steps toward the children—

"One more step and I'll shoot."

Both Uminos recognized that voice; Sasuke felt a dizzying hope rising in him so quickly it left him feeling lightheaded. _Kakashi._

"K-Kakashi-sir," Naruto whispered, wincing as his temples throbbed. Sasuke rubbed his hair absently.

The danger wasn't quite over yet. It took a while to get Hyuuga away. As soon as the police—who were somewhat wary of the gun-wielding Kakashi—restrained him, Iruka rushed through the broken window. "Naruto! Sasuke!" he called through the dark room.

"O-Over here, dad," Naruto said weakly, struggling to raise his voice without worsening the pain in his head. All it took was the quiet whisper, though, because Iruka was suddenly amongst them, pulling his boys close. Naruto burrowed in close to him, shutting his eyes finally as he lost himself to unconsciousness.

Over the next few hours, everyone's parents were called. There were affections and condolences passed around, before everyone was taken home, calling shaky goodbyes over their shoulders.

But before everyone left, Sasuke explained very quietly about Naruto's condition, should anything like that ever happen again. Some of his friends paled, but they nodded, ready to look out for the blonde boy who'd looked out for them.

Ino was going home with Sakura; Lee and Tenten were going home with Neji; Shikamaru was going home with Chouji. Hinata and Shino were going home with Kiba; his mother was always overjoyed to have the two kids she thought of as her own anyway, and wouldn't have it any other way tonight of all nights.

Naruto fell asleep soon after Iruka's arrival, Iruka haven giving him the correct medication at once, once Sasuke explained the situation.

The night ended quietly, everyone content with withdrawing into their rooms and staring out the window, pondering how easily one of them could've been hurt badly, or killed; and how lucky they all were to be alive, and together.

---

That Monday, class 302 was just as rowdy and loud as ever. Tsunade almost yelled for quiet, but instead watched the proceedings with curiosity. There were no clichés. No façades of false friendship. Everyone was genuinely and sincerely getting along with one another. The longer she watched, the more the teacher realized how much like a hierarchy it was, not too different from a pack of wolves. There were the leaders, and the followers; and yet no one dominated over someone else. They just slid into the order and let flow the balance.

The immature hooligans were more mature than some adult business wo/men.

And yet, although things seemed to be going so well, it couldn't last that way for long.

Tsunade was correctly briefing her class on algebra, and her class correctly wasn't listening; this was normal.

What _wasn't _normal was the door flying open and a golden-haired, blue-eyed man standing in the doorway, with a palpable desperation. His eyes scanned the befuddled class, and alighted on Naruto.

"I've found you," he whispered, making his way forward. He caught the silent boy in a tight hug. "I've finally found you."

Naruto's face was blank, but his eyes were a sea of confusion and fear. A stranger; there was a stranger here, hugging him. He tried to pull away, but the man wouldn't let him go.

Sasuke, watching this, felt the gnawing fear come back; he felt his heart plummet into a deep, black, inky pool. He had a numbing feeling watching the man that his life, perfect in every way he could think of, was slowly circling the drain.

**Wow—eight pages. I'm not sure whether that's long or short. I know this chappie was rushed and stuff, but I don't feel well, and I have to get off the computer—not to mention I was anxious about posting this. **

**Please review—and please don't flame! **

**Ja!**

**-distant6**


	11. Part 11

**Beware OOCness. Okay. Now—**

**-dances- Angsty update! WHOO! I like Naru-chan-related angst. Okie-day, here we go. Let's begin!**

**Note: I'm afraid I'm not going to correctly portray Arashi in this. **

**'Nother Note: Remember, these are the little Naruto characters. So, like, the little Sakura with the bow, the little Ino with the short hair and the hairclip, the little Sasuke and Naruto who ignored each other even though they could have been good friends (the Sasuke that watched his family be murdered, and the Naruto--remember that part with the little boy in the crowd, and he started running, and then there was an after-image of an older Naruto running in sync with him?? So sad 'n' kawaii...), the little Lee with the braid, the little Neji, open-minded and sweet, and the little Chouji, whose only friend was Shikamaru...**

_Broken Glass (Part 11)-_

_Stronger than Blood_

Everyone had been briefed on Naruto's situation—except for the teacher—by Sasuke at the end of the party the previous weekend, so they knew all about his sickness, and his and Sasuke's adoption. So what happened next surprised only the two adults in the room.

Kyuubi leapt off Naruto's shoulder and buried his fangs in the stranger's arm. Shikamaru and Kiba were suddenly on either side of Naruto, yanking him away; Sasuke caught him from behind, pulling him back from the stranger, behind their friends. Akamaru snarled lethally, and Ino and Sakura kicked the man in the shins in unison. Lee and Chouji were starting forward when Tsunade caught them by the shoulders. "What has gotten into all of you?" she yelled, silencing the pandemonium with more efficiency than someone with a loudspeaker. There was a very long pause; the angry look in her eyes kind of melted when she saw the frightened Naruto and the very concerned/infuriated Sasuke hugging him close. ((Don't get perverted; that would have been kawaii, and not in a yaoi way. I'd like to stress again that this is not guy/guy.))

So then, despite the words she'd spoken maybe two seconds ago, she, too, spun on the stranger, positioning herself in the front of her class, stance angrily protective, and said, "Who are you and why are you in my classroom?"

The man was unfazed. He rubbed his shoulder where the fox had bitten him, shifting his weight on his bruised shins, and, pointing at Naruto, said, "I'm his father."

---

The shock on Naruto's face was one no one in the room would soon forget. His eyes widened and darkened; his hands, clenched into fists on Sasuke's sleeve, fell loosely open at his sides. "My..." His voice was hoarse and he couldn't get past the first word. Sasuke was shaking, too, for an entirely different reason.

_He's going to take Naruto away from us._

The other children realized this, too; Tsunade felt a blanket of nervous disquiet, of apprehensive fear drop over the room with weight.

_He's going to take him away._

No one could deny the obvious relative qualities they both shared; golden blonde hair, bright blue eyes—hell, that smile. But even though Naruto finally found his father--or the other way around...—noone, not even Naruto himself, looked very happy about it.

In fact, everyone was shocked and angry to see, there were tears threatening to spill from the expressive, liquid blue eyes. His friends were shocked, because even when he'd been beaten by a drunk he hadn't shed a single tear; and angry, because this damn jerk had burst in, ruined their fun and made Naruto—_their_ Naruto—cry, or something very close to it.

Tsunade, struggling to find a compromise she could agree with—("GET THE HELL OUT OF MY CLASSROOM, DAMN YOU!" finished by throwing the man out the window; it was her personal favorite of the current list of possibilities)—blinked when she saw quiet little inexpressive Hinata burst into tears. The dark-haired girl rushed over to Naruto and threw her arms around him, crying, "Please don't go, Naruto!"

Shikamaru, Chouji, Lee, Neji and Kiba were grouped around Sasuke, Naruto and Hinata protectively ((kawaii!!)), glaring daggers at the man before them.

"Go away," Kiba snarled venomously. Akamaru was still growling. "Everything was fine before you showed up! _No one wants you here!"_

"Yes," Lee said, soft-hearted Lee, clenching his fists, "go!"

Even the silent Neji was glaring, arms crossed. "Get out of our classroom," he commanded, usually kind voice deadpan with anger.

Naruto stood again, stepping away from everyone. "I'm…I'm going home!" he yelled, grabbing his messenger bag from where he'd dropped it and dashing around the cluster of people to the door. Sasuke followed at once without a word. Hinata started crying softly again, and Kiba and Shino stepped back farther to comfort her. Shikamaru dropped into his chair and let his face rest in his arms, muttering things under his breath; Lee and Neji traded looks with TenTen, unsure whether to stay or to follow; Chouji was shoving chips into his mouth anxiously; the blonde-haired man watched the two boys go, a hurtful sadness in his eyes.

Tsunade said softly, "Everyone's been getting along so well recently; they kind of fell into friendship, everyone—they probably feel like their balance was just thrown into disarray. "

"I know it was sudden…I probably could have handled it better," the man said, slumping even as he stood. "I was just so excited…relieved…to see him…"

"Idiots," someone drawled from the back, lazy voice hard and unforgiving. Tsunade and the man turned around to find Shikamaru, chin resting on his folded arms, glaring unforgivingly at them. "Both of you. You don't know the _half _of it." And at all the children's suddenly knowing stares, Tsunade frowned.

"What don't we know?"

"Why the hell should we tell you?" Kiba spat unrepentantly, ignoring the glare he got from his teacher at his curse. "Traitor."

She blinked. "_I'm _a traitor?"

"Yes," Kiba nodded, still glaring. "You were entrusted to look out for us by our parents. It doesn't _seem _like that's being _done!" _He pulled away slightly from where he was petting the sniffling, embarrassed, beet-red Hinata's hair to gesture at her. "You…"

Sakura finished with a scowl, "Jerk."

Tsunade seemed to be struggling with something, expression trembling; then she leveled the man with an authoritive stare. "Leave. You're upsetting the children."

The man obliged without argument, slipping out of the room and closing the door behind him with a nod to the woman. Tsunade turned her glare on the room; the class kind of cowered. "Does anyone have the Uminos' phone number?"

Almost the entire class had it written down somewhere, and Shikamaru had had it memorized since first glance—he was good with numbers—but none of them yielded any such information. It kind of stung at their teacher that she'd so betrayed their trust; before all this, Sakura would have skipped forward with a trusting smile, handing her the scrap of paper with no hesitation.

"Why do you need it?" Ino asked cheekily.

"I think Mr. Umino needs to hear about some of this."

She watched the dark suspicion in her students' eyes lighten into some wary hopefulness, and smiled gently. Sakura walked forward slowly, writing the seven-digit numeral sloppily on the corner of a piece of notebook paper. She handed it out to the woman, (Sakura looks up to Mrs. Tsunade) smiling hesitantly; Tsunade immediately pulled out her cell phone and punched the numbers in.

"Hello—Mr. Umino? Yes…yes, this is Mrs. Tsunade, your sons' teacher? Ahh…well, there's something I should tell you…" As she spoke she went to the door and peered through the small wire-mesh window down the hall in the direction the golden-haired stranger had gone. "Yes—it's very important."

--

He ran.

He ran harder than he'd ever run in his life. He pushed himself to go faster—like if he ran quick enough, he would be able to escape; he would be able to leave it all behind him. Throughout the years, he'd become a very, very agile sprinter. He beat into himself how important it was—he taught himself to move very fast for very long periods of time.

It hurt—his chest screamed, his lungs' desperate workings becoming more and more painful each second he ran. He tried to ignore it, as impossible as that was; he ducked around people, never once slowing down. _Move, move…! _he yelled at himself. _Keep moving! Don't stop!_

Slowly, instinct took over; he slowly began to feel like he was being chased. This made him edgy, made him go even faster. It got to the point where he couldn't see—he was blind, deaf with fear. He started stumbling over his feet, sweating and gasping, laboring breathes coming to him as hoarse wheezes. He ignored the people who stopped and asked about his well-being; in his frenzied state of mind, everyone—everyone—was a threat. No one could be trusted. He was alone—he was along again.

Claws in his wrist jolted him; he didn't stop, but smiled weakly—yes…he still had Kyuubi. The little fox had wormed into the messenger bag, and was there now, shaking nervously and poking his paw out from time to time to scratch at his boy's arm. He gripped the strap of his bag (it went over one shoulder and across his chest, so the actual bag was at his opposite hip) hard with both hands, a fresh wave of adrenaline sweeping through him; he made it a few more blocks before he finally collapsed.

It wasn't a gradual descent; no stumble, drop to the knees, and then finally falling forward.

He suddenly found the air whistling around him—felt his legs buckle—and saw the concrete rush up to meet him. Several people gasped, woman dropping their belongings, and men cursing quickly, and he was suddenly surrounded.

"Are you okay, dear?"

"Oh, my, what happened?!"

"Someone call the police!"

"Get an ambulance!"

"Is there a nurse here?"

Naruto's breaths—already rushed and shallow—quickened in his panic. Strangers…crowding around him…

_He flew back, hitting the alley wall hard. They laughed cruelly when he whimpered softly, holding the back of his head, where he'd struck brick. They gathered around him, kicking him and kicking him, as hard as they could—he could do nothing but cover his head and hope they'd grow bored quickly._

"No, everyone back up—you're scaring the kid!"

"Poor little guy…"

"_Ahhh, poor little guy," one of them sneered, gripping him by the hair and wrenching his head up; terrified cerulean eyes met hardened brown ones as his captor bashed his head against the brick wall again. He bit the inside of his lip, refusing to give them the pleasure of hearing him cry out._

_  
"Hehehe! He's trying to be a tough guy!" one of the boy's friends sneered. "Why don't we teach 'im a lesson?"_

_With his other hand, the boy that had a grip of Naruto's hair punched him hard in the gut; Naruto felt the wind knocked out of him and he gasped._

"_Nope—still no noise."_

"Does he have a fever?"

"It looked like he was running from someone."

"Look at these scars…"

"Oh! I think he's starting to cry."

"_Ohhh, I think he's starting to cry!" The laughs that sounded after this echoed eerily throughout the dark alley. "Do you think we hurt him?"_

"_Nahh, he's just a pansy," their leader sneered. "Whatta weakling!"_

_Naruto refused to let his tears fall in face of such pitiless teenagers. He narrowed his eyes in a glare and managed to choke out, "Bastard…"_

"_What the hell did you just call me, you punk?!" the boy threw him against the opposite wall, so he flew into it with force, and then started kicking him hard in the face. He took it, fingers brushing against the fur of his still fox; they'd knocked Kyuubi out first thing, after the fox had leapt to Naruto's aid. 'Please…stop…' He'd let a few tears fall, mixing with the blood on his face._

Naruto—forcing himself now—rolled over onto his stomach, and got his hands and knees under him. Hands reached out to stop him, placating voices tried to soothe him back down; but he was already stumbling forward, picking himself up into a crouched but technically standing position.

And he ran. Until he was sure there was no one else following him, he ran—and ducked into an alley, just inside it, collapsing against the wall, and sliding into a sitting position; he brought his knees to his chest, folded his arms atop them and buried his face in his sleeves. He couldn't remember why he'd started running…it was all vague…he knew he'd remember soon; but he didn't want to. So he sat there, keeping his mind blank, dulling completely all his senses. Kyuubi was still struggling inside the bag, but he didn't move to let him out.

"Well, well, well…What do we have here?"

Naruto eyes opened wide; he slowly raised his face. He didn't have time to look at the man's face before he was pinned to the wall. "What's in your bag?" he asked ominously. Naruto's eyes widened. _Kyuubi—! _He tried to bash his forehead into his aggressor's—hard—but the man tightened his grip around Naruto's neck, stilling his meager attempts.

"_Stop!"_

_Naruto, bleeding and beaten, felt his hopes rise exponentially. The kids cursed and dropped him, running the length of the alley and climbing the chain link fence; they were gone in seconds. And then he was being lifted from the ground, cradled in wonderfully warm, comforting arms; his savior took off his jacket, and mopped up the blood from the boy's face, gently, tenderly. "It'll be okay," someone whispered softly. "Nothing's going to happen now. I'm here."_

_And Naruto smiled; burrowing into Iruka's arms, he'd whispered simply, "Thank you."_

There was no Iruka this time—he was on his own. He snarled, struggling in the man's hold; the man sneered and drew back his fist—

"Stop!"

Naruto blinked, eyes wide; that wasn't Iruka…He gasped and strained to look at the mouth of the alley. "No—!"

Sasuke ran at the man fist clenched—but right before he threw the expected punch, he purposely skidded on the wet gravel, falling back and bracing himself with his hands, and kicked out hard. Twisting himself back into a standing position, he hooked the off-balanced man's leg with his foot and yanked hard. At the same time, Kyuubi finally made it out of the bag. His fur was bristling and his fangs were bared; they seemed quite large.

The man decided, as he scrambled to his feet, that this just wasn't worth it; he ran.

"Naruto…" Sasuke walked up to him, facing him; then he punched him hard in the face. Naruto's eyes widened and he brought a hand up to his throbbing cheek. Sasuke's furious glare softened slightly at the hurt in the wide blue eyes; but only a little. "Why the hell did you run off?!"

Realization dawned in the blonde boy's eyes; Naruto averted his gaze. He knelt, beckoning Kyuubi to him. The ruffled animal ran over to him, up his arm, settling under his right ear to nuzzle comfortingly at the boy's neck.

Naruto straightened, eyes narrowed as he struggled with his words. "I…" He chuckled bitterly, rubbing his arms. "I was scared."

Sasuke was at a loss; he'd never heard the boy say that—and he'd never expected to. So all he could do was draw him into a one-armed hug, and say quietly, "Yeah…I was too."

Scuffing footsteps in the mouth of the alley alerted them to someone else's presence; it was a man, silhouetted against the light of the late afternoon sky as opposed to the dark alley. The two boys stiffened at once, and Kyuubi leapt from Naruto's shoulder to stand before the two boys, snarling evilly. ((Reminds me of Kirara from Inuyasha!))

It was Iruka.

He said nothing; his face was simply weary, and sad—the concern and fear was very well hidden, not that Sasuke and Naruto couldn't see it. He took a few steps and opened his arms, inviting the boys into an embrace. They ran immediately to the comfort, burying their faces into his shirt.

"It'll be okay; nothing's going to happen now," the man whispered softly, rubbing the boys' backs soothingly. Naruto's eyes widened—face hidden in his father's shoulder—at the words. It was the last two that made him finally cry, breaking into actual sobs, throwing both his arms around the only man he'd ever view as a father.

"I'm here."

**OOC!!!! I seriously considered not updating, but…once I write something for a story, I can't just…not add it. That's what everything else builds off of, and…**

**It was kawaii, though…you've got to admit it was kawaii…-sigh- Okay, ignore me. I'm sorry, it wasn't great—please don't flame! (And I know it was short.)**

**For any of you reading **_**Tails of Team Seven—**_**I'm working on it!!**


	12. Part 12

**Gomenasai, gomenasai! I'm very, very sorry for the delay. Ano...this chapter was very, very difficult. More difficult than any previous chapters; I had to start with the same line that I used in the second installment of **_**Glass Behind the Blue**_**. ...I was gonna do a filler! About ice cream...and all its many flavors...but I don't think you would've gotten that humor...XD Er...Rena-chan might have...umm...shall we begin?**

_Broken Glass (Part 12)-_

_And When We Shall Part..._

He was under the scrutiny of two very mistrustful blue eyes. Across the blonde boy's lap lay his brother; having fallen asleep soon after their arrival back home, despite his attempts to stay awake--the stress and fear had left him completely exhausted. Naruto, on the other hand, was wired, wide-eyed gaze locked on the man before him. His fox was crouched on his head, no less tense than its master was. The doctor had allowed Arashi a few moments alone with Naruto--grudgingly, mind you, having left leaving an almost palpable trail of heavy reluctance upon meeting a betrayed gaze from his un-asleep son--and was waiting right outside the door.

It was when Arashi opened his mouth to stem the unnerving silence--weren't kids supposed to be loud and racuous?--that the nine year old in front of him decided to speak: "Why?"

He was more than a little caught off-guard at the sound of that very, very young voice, hushed with a lot of fear that couldn't be seen in his eyes, and resentment that was just as obvious in his expression. "What?"

"Why?" The boy's hands clenched into fists on his brother's shirt; the dark-haired boy stirred, more from the soft anger in the former's voice than the touch. "Why are you doing this? Why are you going to take me away from Sasuke and Dad? Why did you have to show up now? _WHY THE HELL DIDN'T YOU TRY TO FIND ME SOONER?!" _

---

"Wh...What a drag..." Shikamaru said quietly, kicking at a rock. Chouji nodded miserably, too morose to open another bag of junk food. Ino was patting Sakura on the back, whispering soothingly to her as the latter cried silently. Kiba and Shino were crouched next to Hinata, who was sitting dry-eyed in a state of unawareness. Lee had somehow managed to--quite easily, actually--climb to the very top of the twelve-foot-high chainlink fence, and was perched there now, eyes scanning the streets as he waited for the Uminos' return. Neji was leaning against the fence under him, arms crossed, head bowed; his expression, however, was trembling, and he'd lost his steady resolve. TenTen had left them for a moment, going to check up on first Hinata, then Sakura, and then coming back to sit next to Neji, bringing her knees up to her chest.

"We..." Everyone glanced around at Neji, who, up 'til now, had remained silent. "We should go after them."

Lee moved quickly, a flash of green; everyone kind of tensed up for a moment when he moved both his feet out to the side in kind of a half-jump, all his weight resting on one of his hands for not even a full half-second--an then he pushed off and landed effortlessly next to his two busom (sp) buddies. "Yes!" he agreed fervently, clenching a fist in front of him in that odd display of passion they'd all come to accept. "We must--Naruto and Sasuke would do the same for us!"

"You're right!" Ino and Sakura exclaimed in unison, standing up in sync.

"I-I ag-agree," Hinata said suddenly, glancing up as well, making no visible effort to hide the hopeful plea in her voice and eyes; and Kiba and Shino had nodded, determined frowns plastered on their faces, Shino's hidden by his tall collar.

"But," Chouji said suddenly, "how will we get out?" He pointed across to the school's playground's gates. "It's locked."

Shikamaru sighed, standing. "We get the keys."

Kiba eyed him. "Where are the keys?"

"In the office."

Neji blinked. "The principal's office?"

"How many offices does the school have that are referred to as 'the office'?"

"Okay," Ino said, frowning. "How do we get into the office?"

"...The door?" After receiving glares from everyone currently engrossed in the conversation, he sighed and continued, "We just need to distract the principal, then one of us can slip in and get the keys." He jabbed a finger at Kiba. "You--you'll be our distraction."

"Wh...Why me?!"

Shikamaru stared pointedly at Akamaru, who, from his perch on Kiba's head, wagged his tail.

"Oh...I see..."

"And you--" here he pointed at Lee, who, for some reason, saluted "you're the fastest, so you'll run in and get the keys. The rest of us" now his gaze swept over all of his companions "will wait here so we don't cause any more suspicion than we already are." For the first time, the rest of them noticed the eyes of the teacher's on recess duty fixated more on them than on the rest of the student body.

"Why are they...?"

"Tsunade."

Even as he was accusing her, the corner of Shikamaru's mouth twitched. No one but Neji, Chouji and Ino noticed.

"Ehhhhh?! We thought she was on our side!"

"Yeah, but like hell she's gonna let her class go traipsing off through New York," the intelligent little boy said, rolling his eyes.

"But...why..." Hinata trailed off, eyes still fearful, voice void of the self-confidence she'd acquired since the terror two nights ago; an event dubbed as "302 vs. Hyuuga".

The ghost of a smile on Shikamaru's face grew more pronounced; it wasn't one of joy. "She knew we'd go to Naruto, no matter what."

---

Iruka had rushed in immediately, after Naruto's cry. He found his son, his precious adopted child, sobbing uncontrollably, clinging to his likewise adopted brother, who'd woken with a start, completely oblivious to the current situation. As soon as Iruka stepped over the threshold, Sasuke had been dumped unceremoniously to the floor and Naruto had flung his arms around Iruka wildly, wetting his shirt with tears, and mumbling incoherently. And Sasuke, still groggy with sleep, had turned and looked at Arashi, who sat still on his side of the table as the brown-haired doctor led the slowly-quieting child out of the room, the angry words flung at him cutting in deep. And, as his mind was not yet fully awake, Sasuke found words more gracious than he normally would have allowed pass his lips:

"You really didn't handle this very well. Not just this." Sasuke swept an arm out to the side. "Everything. You showed up in the middle of class, Naruto's long-lost father, and scared the _hell _out of him. Plus, you made him run away--it's never good when something makes Naruto run, because he can't stop running." Sasuke dropped back into the chair, and drew one of his knees up, hugging his leg to his chest. "It's a defense he's built, against everything. Ever since he was little, he said, he's had to run," the boy's words were frank, and straight to the point. His dark eyes were unforgiving, yet honest, as he weighed truth with the fear. "He was sick a lot, too. But he got better, and the doctor who worked like mad to keep him healthy adopted him, and I, his best friend, became his brother when that doctor adopted me as well." Sasuke slid off the chair and trotted to the door.

"I don't like you, but I know you're not a bad guy, and I think Naruto thinks so too," he told the still-stunned blonde. "But if you follow through with what I _know _you're going to try to do, then I'll hate you forever, and so will Naruto."

---

Naruto paced the room. Iruka had known at once that his tears were fake; but it had been enough to get him out of the room. He paused every now and then to glance at the clock; a bit past noon. He hadn't eaten anything after collapsing, and he was hungry and exhausted. He really did feel like crying, but he wouldn't; not until he was sure no one could hear.

The door opened; he spun to face it quickly, but it proved to be Sasuke. Naruto relaxed with visible effort, and resumed his irritated march. Sasuke watched with interest, climbing into his bed. "Naruto," Sasuke said quietly, yawning. "Dad's taking care of it; he even called Kakashi-sir." Naruto stopped and turned to look at him again. Sasuke grinned. "Kakashi won't let them take you away. You're Dad's by law, now."

Naruto didn't stop to think how peculiar their swap of roles was--Sasuke was usually _never _the cheerful encourager; but the recent strain of apprehension had left him kind of limp with relief, so he was more helpful than usual--but instead fell backwards onto Sasuke's bed next to where he sat cross-legged. "This is all so...complicated..." Naruto muttered, reaching an arm out; at once, Kyuubi was there, rubbing its head against his hand.

"That was an interesting act you threw," Sasuke muttered dryly. "That Guy really went for it." 'That Guy' was the name dubbed Arashi, since neither boy really knew his name. Naruto scowled at Sasuke, who sniggered. "Anything to get out of there, I know--but did you really have to push me off like that?" He rubbed his sore elbow.

"Ah...guess not..." Naruto said ruefully, sitting up as well. "So..." There was a slight pause; blue eyes met black, and Naruto finished with a quiet whisper, "What if I have to go away?"

Sasuke stiffened; this did not go unnoticed. "...Don't be--"

_"What if?" _the blonde boy insisted.

Sasuke seemed to struggle with something for a moment, then he glanced at his brother. "...Then...then...we'll just...have to..." ..._What would we do? 'Grin and bear it', like Kakashi always says? I can't just grin and bear this! This is...scary...if I think on it too hard..._

Naruto watched his hesitation, not smiling.

Finally Sasuke came up with, "Then we'll just have to--" but before he could finish, something hit their window. Both boys blinked at it. Then, another pebble flew from below and struck the pane sharply. Kyuubi growled at it. Sasuke and Naruto stood, the latter in the lead, and made their way to the couch positioned undernearth it.

Peering outside, they found all their classmates gathered in their backyard who, upon seeing them, waved vigorously. Sasuke felt his mouth drop open. "What the hell are you guys doing here?!" he shouted through the window. But Shikamaru smirked and pointed to one of his ears sarcastically; 'I can't hear you!'

"C'mon," the dark-haired boy said in a subdued voice. "Let's go see what they want."

"'Kay!" Naruto said excitedly, holding an arm out for Kyuubi to climb up, and raced out of the room and down the stairs right behind Sasuke. They crept cautiously past the room Iruka and Arashi were in, and then dashed out the back door.

---

Everyone paused to watch the group of children run down the street; they ran, despite their age, with an air of grace and surety, of power and precision, much like a flock of birds, or a pack of wolves. They reacted to one another, watching for signs to speed up or slow down, all focused on the leader's commands and desired directions. It was something to watch, as they whistled past--running with startling speed, and enjoying it--then to turn around and talk about with a chuckle, and then forget you ever saw; because such a thing was insignificant, after all.

---

Iruka stood, drawing their conversation to a halt. Arashi, it turned out, was actually one of the most mild-mannered gentlemen Iruka had ever met, and, being a doctor, he'd met quite a few. The blonde man's tone was gentle, his eyes warm and friendly. Everything about him reminded Iruka so much of Naruto, it just made the gnawing fear inside him grow; what would happen, should Naruto want to go with this man? Even if he didn't _want _to go, Arashi had every right to take him away. Iruka was not going to be involved a custody trial or anything of the sorts; he was unwilling to put his son...Naruto through any of that.

Arashi watched the brunette's tortured expression, and lowered his gaze to the table. He hadn't meant to cause so much distress, and he definitely hadn't meant for his son to hate him; yet, after hearing about Naruto's sickness, his many almost-deaths, and his welcomed adoption, he kind of hated himself. While he was eager to get to know his son, he knew it wasn't fair; the boy had triumphed over a lot, and won the race--it wouldn't be Arashi who took away his prize.

After a few more moments of reflective silence, Arashi smiled to himself and glanced up at Iruka. Opening his mouth to reassure the doctor that he wouldn't take his fox-boy away, he was interrupted by Iruka's sudden, "It's quiet."

Arashi blinked. "Excuse me?"

Iruka glanced sidelong at him, wary apprehension plain on his face. "It's too quiet."

Silence. "You mean...?"

"Let's go check on the kids," Iruka confirmed, nodding as Arashi stood.

---

Naruto passed vague directions along to Neji, Lee and Shikamaru, who followed them without question, and they all ended up in an abandoned park on the less pleasant side of the city. The children hung back before entering the dismal-looking playground; Naruto, however, grinned hugely and trotted in without hesitation, quickly followed by Sasuke and Hinata, and then the rest of the gang. He made his way quickly to the little broken-down caurosel and bent down behind it, peering into the shadowed underneath as he tore away weeds and such vegetation. Then he straightened with a huge grin. "It's still here!" he said, sounding far more excited than his friends thought possible; as he spoke, Sasuke peered behind him at whatever it was he was looking at, and blinked several times in confusion. "Come on, follow me!"

Kiba and Shikamaru approached first, for they were all wary of any living creatures that Naruto might deem 'cute' or 'exciting'; but when the little blonde boy dove head-first out of sight, all of them gave a yelp of surprise and raced up to the merry-go-round. Sasuke, grinning, pointed at a gaping hole that tunneled under the toy and into the ground. "That's so cool," Ino whispered.

It wasn't quite as 'cool' convincing the girls to crawl down it; it was dark, damp and, of course, dirty. It took Naruto on one end and the other boys on the other to coax them down. Surprisingly enough, Hinata went willingly, followed closely by TenTen, and then by Ino and then Sakura. Sasuke stood back for Shino, Kiba, Neji, Lee, Shikamaru and Chouji and then followed them down himself.

The little tunnel opened up to an actual room; the walls were of cement and barren of any decoration; there were chairs and a table, and a big metal door on one side that obviously went unused considering the heavy iron bars drilled across it. There were a few other children down there, older kids, but Naruto grinned at them and flashed them a salute-style wave and they smiled back and nodded to him.

"If you know the way in, you're allowed to be here," he told his class as he settled against the wall. "This used to be a bomb shelter, but a lot of people started using it as a hide-out so they did that." He gestured at the door. "Too bad they never figured out that some of those people got the idea to dig out a tunnel up to the park, eh?" He smiled hugely, but the gesture faded slowly, leaving him with a dismayed, depressed frown.

After an awkward silence of a few moments, during which time all the other children settled around him, Sasuke asked, "How'd you find out about this place?"

"Eh? Oh. Some of Cook's customer's told me about it."

"Naruto...it's...too bad about your dad..." Shikamaru said stiffly. Chouji looked away for a moment, but, upon seeing Naruto's confused expression, sighed.

"Shikamaru's dad left awhile back--ran out on him and his mom." From his tone of voice, Chouji was none too happy about it. "And my mom died during child birth."

"And TenTen's mom died from a car accident awhile ago," Lee put in, drawing his two closest friends closer. "Neji's dad was dead since right after he as born."

When Lee stopped there, TenTen continued quietly, "Lee's parents died in a fire--he lives with his uncle."

Sasuke blinked away for a moment, but nodded when Naruto touched his shoulder questioningly. "And Sasuke's family was killed by his big brother."

It left a heavy gloom over the youngsters as they thought, not about their own losses, but about each other's. Naruto felt a little guilty at having brought up the subject at all, much less dragging his friends down memory lane. He unconciously raised a hand and clenched the front of his shirt with it, over his chest. His lungs were laboring to provide him with air, making his breaths shallow and hoarse. Sasuke, who'd leaned against him, felt him shaking and sat back up.

"I'm fine," Naruto said at once, when Sasuke opened his mouth. Every looked round at them, eyes falling immediently upon the wheezing blonde. "I'm _fine,_" he said irritably, jerking to the side when Sasuke tried to feel his temperature. "Stop it." Sasuke watched him for a few more seconds, dark eyes missing nothing; Naruto leaned against the wall and shut his mouth tightly, breathing through his nose to mask the gasping breaths. Sasuke turned his gaze to the opposite wall and said nothing; after awhile, all their classmates slid in closer. Shikamaru and Chouji leaned against each other, shutting their eyes; Ino and Sakura did the same thing, holding the other's hand with their own; Lee, TenTen and Neji settled together against the wall, Lee and TenTen resting their heads on Neji's shoulders; Hinata sat inbetween Kiba and Shino, head resting on Shino's shoulder (she was one of those few he wouldn't brush off); and in the middle was Naruto and Sasuke, sitting side by side, heads rested together, Kyuubi curled up between them. The twelve of them shifted, closing any distance between any of them, and let the silence flow unbroken. Sasuke tapped the back of Shikamaru's hand (unable to really move, so he had to to stretch his fingers to do so) and glanced at the tunnel, then back at him again. Shikamaru gave an impercetible nod and focused his gaze on the dark hole in the wall.

And for the next few hours, they sat in companionable, comfortable ease; none of them moved an inch, the only slight movements being made were the blinks and steady rising and falling of chests as they breathed. And yet, as comforting--none of them could begin to describe with words how completely comforting--it was, Sasuke felt that fear inside him begin to eat away at him from the inside out, leaving him feeling so hollow...

Unsure whether or not anyone was watching, and uncaring, he pressed in closer to Naruto and gripped the blonde boy's hand. Naruto, whose eyes had closed, leaving his angel-face graced with an expression of subdued pain, faint fear and curiousity, blinked; warm blue eyes traveled until they met obsidian ones. Neither boy's expression changed; Naruto read the apprehensive panic on his brother's face--the barely-controlled anxiety.

"Sasuke..." Naruto muttered softly. "You never answered my question."

Sasuke blinked, eyes widening a little; _'What if I have to go away?' _He hadn't had an answer to it before; the idea was just so foreign, so impossible that Sasuke hadn't really grasped it--more, was afraid to really wrap his mind around it. He could never accept it; Naruto was _his _and _Dad's: _he _belonged _to them, with them, around them, near them, just a shout away.

The thought of waking up in an empty room--the bed against the opposite wall uninhabited--was...depressing.

No one to talk to in the middle of the night; to share nightmares, fears, or happy dreams with. No one to make the chore of living life so much of an adventure--no one to turn every day events into games and wondrous happenings. No one to sit on the couch in the bedroom with, to stare out the huge window at the raging storm and wonder how it all happened. No one to stand up for him or for anyone around him, to boldly defy a greater force simply because it picked on precious ones. No one to help burden the load, with or without consent, to reach out with a helping hand for no other reason than someone needed help. No one to cry to, openly and without shame. No bright blue eyes, whisker-scarred face, sunshine-blonde hair; no pure expressions, troubled whispers, or open and uncontained laughter.

No one who laughed, simply for the sake of laughing; who threw all their cares to the winds, and then chased after them, to see if they could race the sky.

What would life be like without him? Nevermind the nine years Sasuke had endured before meeting him; what did they matter? They were wasted, thrown away. That day at the hospital; that instant, that fleeting second when Naruto flashed a smile in his direction--his life had changed. _"Hey! Sasuke! Let's be pals, 'kay?"_

Sasuke tightened his hand around Naruto's so much that the latter tensed for a moment. _If you had to go away, Naruto...the world would thrive beneath your every footstep, and then that small piece of it would die when you left it behind. Because you never look back--and that can never change. You live in a different world from everyone else..._And Naruto had opened the door to that world for him, standing on the inside with an unsure smile; Sasuke had been standing on the threshold, glimpsing the new and mysterious plane--but someone was threatening to slam shut that door: it was all Sasuke could do to keep it from closing.

"If you had to go away, Naruto...I'd be just another orphan...Dad would be just another doctor...and all the things you've shown us would dissapear." Sasuke was very near crying; he ducked his head. "S-So you _can't. _You _can't go. _You can't just leave us here, Naruto!" He hadn't meant to raise his voice, but apparently he had. All of his classmates eyes were open now, and, while they politely kept their gazes averted, they were listening with rapt attention; to them, Sasuke was the representative--and they were all waiting with bated breath to hear Naruto's reply.

When silence passed for longer than he deemed safe, Sasuke glanced at his brother; tears were streaming down Naruto's face. The blonde couldn't move to wipe them away because any shift of motion would be felt by the others; so he could only let them fall in silence, crying softly to himself and hoping no one heard.

_How many times...has he cried like this?_

"I-I'm sorry," Sasuke whispered softly, voice unsteady; anything to stop Naruto from crying like that, anything, anything. "I didn't meant to make you--"

"I can't go." Naruto cut him off abruptly, speaking with surprising clarity for one emotionally distraught; his breathing was more even, but only because of the hysteria willing his voice louder. "I mean...I wouldn't be able to make myself...I don't think...I'd be strong enough...I don't think I could handle..." He clenched his eyes shut and clutched Sasuke's hand harder, clamped tight around his own. "They'll never get me in the car!"

---

It was dark; the streets were empty. Naruto and Sasuke had made their rounds around the city, escorting their friends home--and then leaving before an angry parent could corner them as well with shouted questions like, _"Why did you skip out of school?!" _And although they were concerned with getting their friends home safely, they _really _didn't want to go back home. Several of their classmates had demanded to go with them to the Umino residence, but the two had declined at once.

They walked side by side, hand in hand, down the sidewalk, savoring the silence, and wondering if this would be their last evening as brothers.

"Hey," Naruto remarked suddenly as they turned the corner to their street. "I wonder what those flashing lights are. ...Hey! Why are there so many cops at our place?"

Sasuke, who'd kept his head down rather than face what lay ahead, glanced up immediately to see what Naruto had pointed out. There were a lot of policemen at the house; seven or eight squad cars, all with their lights flashing, sirens blaring. The neighbors were standing outside their houses, several talking with uniformed men and women. Somewhere, a dog was going crazy. Kyuubi hissed softly and crawled into Naruto's pocket.

Sasuke paled; Naruto blinked. "Well," the latter said, shoving his hands in his pockets, "this is going to take some explaining."

The former Uchiha turned to stare at his brother; even now, the blonde's laid back attitude was working for him, spreading calm over the situation. Sasuke smiled, but at the same time felt like he wanted to cry again. He held his hand back out to Naruto, who accepted it with another huge smile, and they crossed the line into chaos without any more trepidation--because together, they had nothing to fear.

**(- I dunno how I did that--but it's cool!!)**

**Ahh, a shorter chapter I guess. I'm sorry if it didn't make much sense...I put a lot of effort into it, actually, and I'm a little proud of the direction it took. THIS STORY IS FAR FROM OVER!!...Gaara hasn't come in yet...**

**Please review, and don't flame!!**


	13. Part 13

**Ahh, finally an update. You'll never understand how difficult this chapter was. NEVER. I slaved for**_**ever **_**over this. I don't care whether it's good or not, you're gonna like the fecking chapter and review, dangit! -twitch-**

**Iruka: Ignore her. The doujinshi she's been reading has been messing with her brain. And...there's a Naruto marathon on this weekend...So she's a little more distracted than usual in typing this up...**

**Me: -explodes- My last weekend of summer, darnit!! What better way to spend it than freaking watching Naruto 24/7?!**

_Broken Glass (Part 13)-_

_Don't Leave_

The evening was bright with flashing lights and the air filled with confusion and panic. In all of the din, no one noticed two little boys walking together up the street, surprisingly calm in the midst of such disorder. They held each other's hand tightly, walking in sync with one another, never breaking their stride. When they reached the house all the cars and people seemed to be conglomerated around, the dark-haired boy hesitated and drew up short, and his companion stopped walking as well, looking back at him with adorable concern.

"Sasuke?"

"...How can you not be scared?" Sasuke tightened his grip on the fox-boy's hand, shaking; the closer they got to the house, the more real it all seemed. He was almost unaware of the noise all around him. "They could take us apart...they could split us up...they--"

"Shut up, Sasuke. That's not going to happen." Naruto started walking again, not surrendering his hold on Sasuke's hand, and when he threatened to drag Sasuke along with or without his voluntary agreement, the latter decided to walk with him. "I told you--they'll never get me in the car." He flashed a reassuring smile at his brother, complete in its sincerity but lacking slightly in confidence. "'Sides, even if they did, I'd give 'em so much hell they'd wish they didn't."

They made it to the door; finally, the adults seemed to notice them--they stood there until the policemen were forced to look at them, or trip over them, one. "What are you two doing here?" he barked. "This is--"

"We live here," Naruto drawled, voice cold with haughty suspicioun that made Sasuke shudder. "What are _you _doing here?"

The man glared, obviously not happy with being talked down upon by a child, and opened his mouth when a female officer bore down upon them; "You two--are you Sasuke and Naruto?" she asked in a no-nonsense voice; both boys nodded quickly. She held out her hands, and her face was suddenly very gentle. "Come with me."

The Uminos glanced at each other, then down; they hadn't let go of each other's hands yet. The woman was watching them with an urgency, enough to put them on edge; but the small contact was comfort, and comfort was something they sorely needed. So they drew closer together and stared up at her, pointedly ignoring her offered appendages, as if to say 'lead the way, lady'.

But what they found upon entering the kitchen made them regret in an instant their deciding to ever return home; and then feel so bad for leaving in the first place.

Iruka was sitting at the kitchen table, fingers laced, face cupped in his hands. Arashi was sitting a cup of coffee in front of him; Kakashi was staring out the small window above this sink. It was then that the boys realized just how late it was. The sky was lightening, dawn spreading out over their corner of the world. And all three adults looked like they hadn't slept at all; this is what triggered their guilt. Blue eyes met black, and they dropped their hands to their sides, walking into the kitchen, soft footsteps padding over polished tiles the quiet announcement of their enterance.

Silenced reigned for more than a few minutes; Sasuke kept his gaze down, but saw from his peripheral vision Naruto's level gaze. He wished he could read the blonde's expression, but didn't want to look up and risk meeting the eyes of his father or previous guardian.

Something shattered; both boys flinched, Naruto instinctively backing away from the sound--but before he could get more than a few paces back, strong arms had enclosed him as well as Sasuke in a desperate embrace.

_"Where were you?"_

Eyes wide, Naruto allowed himself to be hugged; he had never heard this in the doctor's voice before. He found he didn't mind being held so tightly, breathing already labored--he found he could hear the supressed sob in his father's voice, could feel the desperation and relief and slight agony coming off him in waves.

"_I was worried sick!"_

Beside him, Sasuke was trembling, returning the embrace shakily.

_"I thought..."_

_He thought we'd run away. _The sudden thought surfaced in Naruto's surprisingly blank mind with abrupt clarity. _He thought we'd run away, and got scared. He thought we'd left him._

"Sorry." Naruto gripped the back of Iruka's shirt, fisting it tightly, and burried his face in the man's chest. "I'm sorry.

"I'll never leave again. I'm sorry."

---

_He sighed, turning his face up to the darkening sky. The air was thick with the promise of rain, and the tall thunderheads gathered overhead, casting heavy shadows over the city. Drawing his white coat tighter around him, he hurried back in the direction of the hospital; it had been bad idea to go out for lunch--he'd just go back to the breakroom for awhile until his break was over. _

_As he wandered down the street, he heard racuous laughter; blinking, he glanced over and found several children grouped around something in the alley. He rolled his eyes and might have continued walking, when one of them shouted, "Hah! Got 'im now!" in a tone that was less than playful. The doctor frowned, pausing. The laughter continued; whatever it was that was happening was being concealed by the ring of kids grouped around the actual spectacle. _

_Whatever it was, it was none of his business. All he had to do was walk away._

_And he almost did. However, as the children continued their taunting, the crowd shifted slightly and he caught a glimpse of what it was that was amusing them so: a little boy lay crumpled on the ground, sporting several cuts and bruises. He was panting and shaking with suppressed sobs, choosing to take his beatings quietly, even though he seemed perfectly aware that his silence would only afford him more pain. For a tense moment, Iruka wondered in horror whether or not the boy was _capable _of moving or defending himself._

_And then he opened his eyes._

_Brilliant blue, even from so far away, was all the man could see; too beautiful a shade to be azure or even cerulean. And there was nothing even slightly fearful in their depths; just a pure, jaded instinct, a subdued loathing. "Bastard..." he hissed. Iruka's eyes widened; of all the times to insult--_

_"What the hell did you just call me, you punk?!" His assailant hurled him into the opposite wall he'd been pinned against. The boy cracked his head against the brick and fell into a heap; in seconds, the older boy was kicking him in the face--and the blonde did nothing, just took it in silence._

_Iruka was already on his way; the tears leaking out of those blue eyes just encouraged him to move faster. "Stop!" he snarled, with enough maliciousness to send the wannabe mafia running. And then he was at the little boy's side, dropping to his knees at once with no outward realization of the light rain that began to fall. He stripped off his medical jacket, mopping the blood and tears from the blonde's face, cradleing him tenderly in his arms, murmuring gently to him; "It'll be okay; nothing's going to happen now. I'm here." And the boy, clinging to a small unconscious fox roughly the size of a domestic kitten, smiled, turning his face to Iruka and burrowing closer. _

_He whispered, "Thank you," like it was the only thing he could ever ask for: that single moment, that second of comfort. Just the knowledge that for even just an instant someone was there, and someone cared for him. Iruka saw him drifting out of consciousness, felt his small hands form fists on the jacket wrapped around him, and saw the smile spreading across the whisker-scarred face._

_"Thank you."_

_He seemed desperate; the way his hands clenched so tightly the doctor's sleeves, his resigned expression, as though he expected less, wanted more. It was after a few moments of holding the neglected child that Iruka realized it was raining. He stood, hurrying back to the hospital. _

_  
"Where...?"_

_Iruka blinked down at his charge, surprised he was still awake. "I'm taking you to the hospital," he said in a tone forbidding discussion. "Your parents--"_

_"Parents."_

_Iruka wasn't surprised; his mouth set into a bitter frown as he rushed down the walk. "Well, I'll make sure you get treated then."_

_The rest of the trip passed in silence; when they made it to the front doors, Iruka kicked them lightly open with his foot and demanded loudly that a room in the E.R. be cleared. Minutes later found the fox-boy--still clutching his sleeping animal--near an exhausted sleep in a more expensive room. He let himself back onto the pillows; he showed none of the nervous disquiet a normal boy his age (six-ish) might have felt at having been dumped here after being dragged away from death in an alley by a complete stranger. Instead he looked compeletly resigned, still; like nothing bad enough to make him care could actually take place anymore. He breathing deepened as he lay there, eyes sliding a little more shut._

_"Why...are...you do--"_

_"Sleep," Iruka said, a gentle, concerned smile on his face as he leaned over and brushed a spikey lock out of his new charge's eyes. "Ask questions later."_

_Dimmed blue orbs focused on him, drawing him once more into an unnerving, unwavering gaze, completely unintentional in its scrutiny. "When are you going to leave?"_

_Iruka blinked, looking hurt for a moment. "Do you want me to?"_

_The patient scowled lightly. "What does it matter what I want?" He spoke with some difficulty. "Why are you wasting your time on me? Why do you care?"_

_"You need help, kid," Iruka said without hesitation. "And I'll be here to give it, for as long as it takes."_

_Neither was sure just how much time passed; then-- _

_"Naruto."_

_"What?"_

_A soft, almost hopeful smile, with that trace of mistrust, of disbelief--like he was holding back, so when the time came that he was let down, he wouldn't be completely lost. "My name's Naruto."_

_Iruka smiled. "Mine is Umino Iruka. A pleasure." His playful banter broke off when Naruto groped lightly over his bed, sliding his fingers over the sheet as he searched blindly for something, unable to really move his hand. Iruka paused, and then experimentally moved his own hand in the way of Naruto's fingers; Naruto gripped his hand tightly, blue eyes peering into his again, as though he was waiting to be brushed off. So Iruka smiled again, gently this time, and closed his hand around Naruto's. "Sleep, Naruto. I'm not going anywhere."_

_The corner of the blonde boy's mouth twitched weakly. "I don't believe you."_

_Iruka's grin faltered, and he sighed. "I don't know of anything that could make you believe me."_

_"I guess there's nothing, then..." Naruto brought his other hand up to his chest where his small fox lay and stroked it with painstaking care and deliberate slowness. "But..." And suddenly sleep claimed him; his grip on the doctor's hand loosened--and yet, Iruka found he couldn't let go: and he doubted that anything in the world would be enough to make him leave to room now._

_But, I trust you._

_---_

Sasuke fell asleep soon after arriving back home, leaning against Naruto; Iruka hadn't let the latter sleep, insisting that he eat something: the blonde's shaking and gasping breathes hadn't been lost on him. "You need to get something in your system," he told him firmly. "You haven't eaten since breakfast, right?"

Naruto made a face, but couldn't summon the urge to argue. Rather, he simply sighed wearily, and smiled at Iruka. "I really am sorry," he murmured. "It's just...Kiba and Shikamaru and Lee and them all came over to see how we were doing...And I got scared..." He fell silent, and Iruka didn't broach the issue; he simply rubbed the hair back from the boy's face, torn between sitting with him and going to fix him food.

Arashi, leaning in the doorway, smiled; his decision was made, whether Iruka knew it or not. So he strode in with sincere light-heartedness and said, "I could fix him something."

Naruto raised a blonde brow skeptically. "_You?"_

"You wound me." The older blonde tried to look hurt and failed miserably. "I can cook." He turned back to the kitchen, hesitated, and glanced over his shoulder sheepishly. "Er...is ramen okay?"

He blinked uncertainly when both Uminos stared at him. "Ramen?"

"Ah, it's noodles and broth, really excellent--"

"_I _know what it is," Naruto said at once, "it's my all-time favorite food."

"_The _greatest food in the _world_," Arashi said, rolling his eyes as though he could be_lieve _one could think otherwise.

"The question is," the fox-boy continued, grinning now, "whether or not you make it right."

"I think I do an acceptable job."

"Yeah, right."

"Oh, really?" Arashi smirked back, crossing his arms. "Then why don't we have a little contest, here and now?"

"You're on!"

Iruka watched them dissapear into the kitchen, a little awed; Arashi had just managed to convince Naruto to eat, without any threats or bribes. He chuckled to himself, a bittersweet smile on his face; after this day, who knew? Maybe Naruto_ would _be happier with Arashi.

So as he resettled Sasuke, who'd stirred the instant Naruto had leapt up and frowned in his sleep, against him, his grip was unusually firm. Unbeknownst to him, two obsidian eyes were following the tired-yet-excited blonde as he bounced into the kitchen after Arashi, and the youth lying against him was too tense to be asleep.

_Maybe Naruto will choose to go away._

_---_

_"I don't want to stay here." His voice was cold._

_Sasuke blinked, eyes widening. "What...?"_

_"I don't want to stay, with you or with Doctor Iruka." The blue eyes were cold, the tone with which he spoke haughty. "I want to go to California with my real dad. He's very wealthy--and I'll have a brother there; by adoption, he said, to make me feel more at home." Now suddenly the whisker-scarred boy was smirking; the look was so strange on his usually kind face, and yet not all-together out of place. Like it was a side of him he beat down, a part of him that no one ever saw._

_Suddenly, the landscape they stood on, a plain, white feild where wind blew the white wheat silently shattered; the shards blew away, reflecting peices of the land that was no more from a barren black world; and Sasuke was falling while Naruto wasn't. He cried out, unable to discern stable plane from the open abyss--it was all just black. And yet Naruto stood calmly, watching him fall with a bland expression of uncaring._

_He blinked, and upon opening his eyes found himself staring at his father in what appeared to be his living room; Iruka was smiling excitedly, and put a hand on his shoulder. Sasuke was startled to find he was almost his father's height. "Sasuke, let's go--he'll be arriving soon."_

_He was led to the front door, and opened it in time to see a sleek sports car pull up in front of the house. A sunshine-blonde head appeared first, soon followed by the rest of Naruto's body; he was older, maybe fourteen, and had a duffle bag slung over one shoulder. At his feet, having jumped out of the car, was an older Kyuubi, as big as a small dog. "Dad, where are we?" The words exstinguished any happiness in the air._

_"Who are these people?"_

_Sasuke felt his head spin at the sheer terror of it all. Cold blue eyes, lips forming the words, "I don't know these people."_

---

He woke up with a gasp, shaking. He glanced around, finding himself in his bedroom. Slowly, calm set in and he sighed, relieved. Then he glanced across the room at his brother's bed--empty.

It took him seconds to race down the hall, down the stairs. Iruka was standing at the doorway, waving. He clung to him, crying, "Dad! Dad, wha--" And then caught sight of the flashy red sports car dissapearing around the corner.

_He's gone._

He stumbled from the door, numbness spreading from his neck down. Iruka caught sight of him and frowned, alarmed and concerned. "Sasuke?"

_He left us--he's gone._

But the voice wasn't his; spinning around, he found Naruto standing in the doorway of the kitchen, dishtowel in hand. "What's the matter? Are you alright?"

Sasuke stood there for a few moments, then cried out and raced for his brother, throwing his arms around him and crying into his shoulder.

He was there.

He had stayed.

**It was rushed! I'm not supposed to be on. Gomen for the quality, hope you enjoyed, please review!**


	14. Part 14

**Ah, this update came rather quickly, ne? -chuckles- You will never know what to expect! Don't let your guard down, even for a moment! Nihihihi! o**.**o Oh, and I feel the need to dedicate this chapter; why you ask? Honestly, I have no clue.**

**Okay, I'll take this moment to say that I'm tired, it's late, I have ... **_**school **_**tomorrow (shudders), but I am dutifully typing this up for Rena-chan. So, all of you--be grateful anyway. Rena-chan--I hope I get this finished in time.**

_Broken Glass (Part 14)-_

_Someone Cares..._

_"Naruto!"_

He'd thrown his arms around his brother without a second thought, burying his face, crying shamelessly; he'd been so afraid...so afraid. Life without Naruto was bleak, utterly meaningless. He knew that there was no way he would die from being seperated from him--that'd be too easy; and yet the very thought of not having the blond around was so utterly horrifying that he just couldn't stop himself crying. Now, finally, he realized how close everything had come to being taken away. If Arashi hadn't been such a nice person--if he hadn't been so damn kindhearted--then the scenario might have taken a turn for the worse; but he didn't demand anything, he'd only given Naruto a choice of leaving or staying, and had smiled sincerely when the younger blond gave his immediate answer. He'd dropped a hand on Naruto's head and ruffled the blond spikes with so much affection Iruka dropped his gaze. "_Listen, Naruto,"_ Arashi said, trying to keep his expression severe, but unable to keep the smile out of his voice. "_You have very important people here; I understand that. They mean the world to you, right? Yes--so protect them. They'll need you to look after them." _And Naruto had blinked several times before narrowing his eyes and nodding with something akin to determination. And Arashi had left soon after that, after tenderly kissing Naruto's unruly head of hair and nodding cheerfully to Iruka, who insisted he come to visit whenever it was convenient for him; he had nodded again with a laugh and told the doctor that he'd do just that. With another wave to both Uminos in the room, he'd swept out the front door and was gone.

Of course, Sasuke knew none of this.

All he knew was that that man could have taken his little brother away; and that if he'd wanted to, there would have been nothing Sasuke could have done to stop it. He would have had to stand by, helplessly--

"Sasuke?" Naruto pulled back slightly to peer into his brother's eyes. "Are you alright? What're you crying for?"

Sasuke shook his head, unwilling to meet the blond's gaze. He was aware of his father's concerned eyes on him, and new that Naruto was probably mouthing something like 'I really don't know!' over his head. Nevertheless, rather than growing irritated, Naruto waited quite patiently where he stood in the doorway of the kitchen, hugging the former Uchiha and waiting for him to calm down.

It was amazing, really, how gentle Naruto could be; it never ceased to astonish them, the look that would brush across his face. His eyes would soften, warming to a beautiful ocean-drop blue, and his rough grin would fade into a tender smile; he would speak softly, gently cradle someone else's hand in his own, rest his forehead against their's and whisper words of comfort, that coming from anyone else would have been completely hollow, and mean every one from the bottom of his heart.

Someone who grew up on the streets without anything to live for had every right to be selfish, arrogant jerks; children like that knew nothing but pain, and how can one who never knew kindness ever hope to share it with others?

And that's where Naruto threw statistics out the window.

He was always ready to help, eager to jump in and save the day; so willing to put his life on the line for someone else, even if that person would never know (or in some cases, care) that he did. He would sit back and smile after the deed was done, a rather weak, half-hearted grin, expression saying quite clearly, "They deserve what I never got."

_'What I never got...'_

---

He sat alone on the merry-go-round, clutching a teddy bear under one arm. His gaze was distant and scrutinizing at the same time, light-blue eyes unfocused and yet somehow direct. His sandled feet dangled, not really reaching the ground and he held onto one of the bars with his free hand.

He watched them play, watched them ignore him completely. The day passed and he didn't move, hardly blinked even. The children raced about, laughing without care, disregarding him with complete, oblivious efficiency. The sun went through the cycle, rising, resting and then setting...and the little boy was left on the playground alone, staring ahead at the street and seeing nothing.

_I wonder what they were doing. Running around like that--why did that make them laugh?_

_---_

"Are you sure you're ready to go back to school?" Iruka asked them as they stepped out of the car. "If you're not, you could always stay home for another day or so."

"Dad," Sasuke said reassuringly. "We'll be fine."

"Yeah," Naruto put in, "it's not like we have any other long-lost relations, right? And Kakashi-sir told us that the deal was said and done, we're yours for forever." He smiled cheerily at the man, who felt his own smile forming before conscious effort was extended. "C'mon, Sasuke, let's go."

"Right--" With twin waves the two turned and rushed away, down the sidewalk amongst all the other children on their way to school. "Dad worries a lot, yeah?" Sasuke asked suddenly, hands in his pockets as he blinked up at the sky.

"Uh-huh." Naruto smiled. "He--" Breaking off suddenly, Naruto stopped walking. Kyuubi uttered a soft sound, pressing harder against Naruto's neck. Sasuke paused as well, turning to glance back at his brother. "Naruto?"

Naruto blinked, startled out of whatever it was he'd been thinking; "Ah, sorry," he said, hitching another smile back into place. "Let's go." They continued on their way, hurrying now because they were going to be late, and Sasuke saw out of the corner of his eye, Naruto glancing sidelong at something out of Sasuke's line of sight; so the latter turned his head to see what it was the blond found so fascinating, and found his gaze had locked with that of a boy his age, about as small as Naruto.

"Sasuke, don't stare," came a soft command at his side, and then Naruto yanked the obsidian-eyed orphan off the sidewalk and into the schoolyard. "I'll explain later--just don't stare."

---

_What does love mean, anyway?_

He slowly got up off the merry-go-round, and wandered away from the playground. He ambled aimlessly down the street, avoiding people the best he could without extending actual effort. They ignored him for the most part; he was nicely dressed, clean, cute--the only think remotely odd about him would had to have been the Kanji scarred into his forehead, but no one really seemed to care. So the only other thing they really noted was that he was alone; and even then they blamed his parents for that.

_Why are parents so important?_

He didn't have a mother or a father, but no one knew that. He wasn't sure who it was who took care of him--a boy and a girl, but he never really said anything to them and they never tried to draw him into conversation. Or maybe they did, and he didn't listen...He had never learned what it was like to be a 'friend' with someone; he never met anyone his age, never had the chance to speak with them. He couldn't understand their smiles and their laughter; he tried hard to, but...

_Why is laughing so much better than crying?_

He understood their tears, though, to a certain extent; each time one of them would fall off the slide, or out of the swing they would scrunch up their faces and bawl--and immediately all the others would flock around them, all concern and panicked shouts. He didn't grasp why they cried about things like that--what was a small scrape on the knee? But he did understand the concept of their tears.

_Crying means you aren't happy._

People cried so much--was the world really as sad as all that? He didn't know.

So he simply wandered every day, as soon as those guardians occupied themselves, he'd slip out the door and be gone without a sound.

He didn't mind getting beaten up; he got hurt a lot everyday. He cried every time; what was a scrape on the knee compared to _that? _His teddy bear was his constant companion; he lugged it everywhere.

_Why do people have to hurt other people? It makes them cry._

If crying means someone is unhappy...then why do some people laugh when they see others' tears? Why would they derive pleasure from knowing they took the happy away from someone?

He found himself at the school; he was unsure how he got there--had he really walked that far? For the most part, the children streamed down the opposite sidewalk, chattering and laughing amongst themselves; then two boys raced around the corner, slacking behind the rest. One of them was dark-haired, watching his companion with a curious expression; while said companion laughed freely, a full laugh that reached all of his face, making him shut his eyes and cock his head. And then, he opened his eyes.

_I've never seen such a pretty blue..._

Those remarkable eyes looked suddenly past the dark-haired boy and fixated immediately on his own. It wasn't just a quick glance, or even a prolonged once-over, not a look of disdain or scorn; there was nothing akin to pity in their depths, only sympathy--a strong, sincere sympathy, a heart-felt sorrow, a pain. Those eyes had read him like an open book--and he hadn't been slammed shut. Then the blond boy dropped his gaze, grabbing the raven-haired boy's hand and dragged him away.

It was all over in a matter of seconds; he wondered why he was so shaken by that look, that expression that played itself across the blond's laughing face:

_"They deserve what I never got."_

_---_

"So it's over, then?" Shikamaru asked quietly, meeting their gazes as they sat down. Hinata was immediately at Naruto's side, the blond smiling and reassuring her that there was no way in Heaven or Hell he'd let anyone take him away.

"Yeah. It's over," Sasuke muttered, voicing the words that always gave him a lighthearted, airy feeling.

Class started--Tsunade walked in and stopped, staring at the two Uminos as though waiting for something that she couldn't continue without. So Sasuke rolled his eyes and Naruto grinned hugely. _We're fine--nothing happened. We're here to stay. _She smiled and turned to the chalkboard to hide her teary eyes; it wasn't good for her to get so emotional, but for some reason...she really, really loved this class.

The children waited until she started writing on the board, before turning to the two brothers and expressing their relief at the fact that niether of them were being made to leave.

Before they knew it, class was over; Tsunade, still smiling, ushered them out to lunch. Outside, they sat down against the fence together, opening various sack lunches (Naruto's a thermos of ramen), when Sakura whispered, "Why is that boy over there staring at us?"

Naruto tensed. _"Don't stare!" _he hissed; immediately the class averted their gazes from the redhead across the street--then they immediately battered Naruto with questions. "I...I don't really know him..." Naruto frowned, wondering how to explain. "But...he has my eyes." Seeing he was doing nothing more than confusing them further, he went on a little flustered. "From before Dad found me...He has my eyes from then."

Sasuke smiled lightly, a half-smile that no one saw when his gaze dropped to the ground.

"He looks hungry..." Hinata said suddenly, twisting her fingers.

"And tired, too," Sakura agreed, nodding.

"Well, he probably hasn't eaten or slept for awhile," Naruto said reasonably. "Restaurants around here won't empty their trash 'til nightfall when they get real busy. And then you got all the homeless guys who're out--adults, I mean--who get all the food they can find from the dumpsters first. Not to mention the rats." He made a face. "I didn't like the rats--one of 'em nearly bit Kyuubi." Kyuubi yipped, as though in agreement. "And--"

He was broken off by Akamaru, who started barking hysterically. Kiba frowned, following the direction of his dog's eyes, and then leapt up with a curse. "Oi! That kid--"

Naruto spun around immediately, to see the little redheaded boy turn around across the street, looking up at someone far bigger than he was--and then the figure raised an arm, backhanding the boy, who crumpled to the ground...

"He hasn't done anything!" Ino said shrilly. "That guy hit him for no reason!"

But Naruto didn't hear; he was past caring about what anyone had to say. "_Kyuubi!" _he snarled, rising to his feet. The fox growled and darted up the fence; at the same time, Naruto turned and ran a few steps back--then turned around and glared at the fence for all he was worth. "Here goes nothin'," he muttered. Sasuke's eyes widened;

"Naruto, don't!"

But then the blond was running again, leaping at the fence and climbing up with it with the ease of hardened practice. At the top he grabbed Kyuubi and dropped down, then tore across the street.

---

"Leave him the fuck alone!" Naruto hissed, stepping in front of the fallen little boy. "If you touch him one more time, I'm gonna beat the shit out of you!"

The blond didn't really hear whatever it was the man said; only that it was incredulous, skeptical, and amused at Naruto's expense. So--"Kyuubi, let's take 'im!" The fox dashed forward, burying sharp fangs in the man's thigh; the scream echoed loudly in the alley. At the same time, Naruto ran a few steps up the wall behind him, kicked off, twisted around in midair and delivered a flying kick to the back of the man's neck. "...I didn't know I could do that!!" he said, sounding thrilled, once he'd landed on both feet. "That was awesome!"

A tug on his shirt from behind made him glance back; the little boy was looking at him impassively; Naruto was amazed at how emotionless a kid his own age was, then blinked as the redhead's gaze moved past him. Naruto followed it, and found a teddy bear, lying out of the redhead's reach. He grinned and trotted over to it, picking it up and wiping off a majority of the mud that had found its way there. "Here you go," he said, kneeling and offering the boy his bear. The boy accepted it slowly, looking with wide eyes at the blond, who smiled. "Best get out of here while he's on the ground," Naruto said, gesturing at the fallen man who'd yet to pick himself back up (weakling, trust me), and then stood, offering the redhead his hand. "C'mon."

He stared at the hand like it was going to bite. Naruto sighed and moved his free hand to scratch at the back of his head. "Listen...I know what it's like when you think you have no one..." He felt the other boy's attention focus immediately on him. "...And I know what it means to be alone." Kyuubi crawled up his leg to settle in his bag, sleepy and tired. "I remember that feeling, watching everyone go home, leaving you in an abandoned playground, so much less...inviting at nighttime." The blond tried to smile and failed to an extent; the smile he drew out was empathetic, tired...regretful. "And I remember you; I used to see you all the time, walking around on your own. It's hard for me to tell you how many times I wanted to talk to you...but I was scared to." He chuckled at himself. "Like, what if you didn't like me, or...Well, anyway, I'm sorry."

A few seconds passed; "What?" the redhead whispered, eyes widening.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have left you alone." The blond looked anything but decietful (sp); at that moment his dropped his gaze and lowered both his hands. "I should've done something. I should've offered to walk with you." A few seconds passed; Redhead started trembling, eyes burning with tears, a painfully hopeful expression coming over his face. Naruto smiled at him suddenly, that tilted-head smile. "But...I'm offering now..." He held out his hand again. "Please?"

Redhead blinked at it, then shifted his teddy bear to his other arm slowly, and, slower still, raised his hand to grasp Naruto's. Naruto inhaled, looking a whole lot happier, tightening his grip on Redhead's hand. "Alright," he said helping the other boy to stand. "We--" he broke off suddenly, spinning around. The man he'd knocked down had finally risen, pulling a knife from the folds of his jacket. "Crap," Naruto muttered dryly. He shifted, Redhead completely behind him. "If I fall down, you run," Naruto said firmly over his shoulder. The redhead's hold of his hand tightened exponentially; "Okay, nevermind. I just won't fall."

The man, furious, stepped forward and raised his knife--an old rusty thing--over his head. Naruto was poised, ready to spring into action, conscious always of where Gaara was--behind him--and where Kyuubi was--in his bag. But before the man could take more than two steps forward, a flash of green flitted in Naruto's line of sight, before something knocked the knife from the man's hand. Lee landed with perfect form after his kick, and then leapt up again, delivering several blows and kicks simply on the way up; and more on the way down. Somewhere during this time, the man decided that they weren't worth it and fled (see? weakling).

"Big brother Neji told me what was going on," Lee said, standing back while Naruto turned to the indifferent Redhead. "So I came to help. Is that alright?"

"You're a life-saver, Lee!" Naruto said with a grin, sparkling blue eyes filled with nothing but gratitude. He looked at the boy again. "Oy, what's your name?"

A silence. "Gaara."

"Well, c'mon Gaara," Naruto said turning from the alley and dragging Gaara with him. Lee was at his side, watching with amusement. "I'll introduce you to everyone."

**I know it was short, but I'm going to be late. DAMMIT!**


	15. Part 15

**I've got this idea for a new Naruto story--I've already confided in a few people about it--that I'm hoping will be a big success; even if it's not, I'm stubborn (some of you may know this already o**.**o) and will continue to write it anyway. I won't give any details here, but it will be completely AU, fantasy and tragedy.**

**Moving onto something else: thanks so much for sticking with this story for so long! -n**.**n- I can't tell you how grateful I am for that...Believe it or not, this was actually going to be a crack!fic, and I didn't expect to go very far with it. XD;; My, how things can change so drastically in such a short amount of time...**

**Do I have to remind you all again that this **_**isn't **_**yaoi?**

**And, just because I haven't send this in a while: **

**Ikusei! 'tebayo!**

_Broken Glass (Part 15)-_

_He Doesn't Deserve This..._

It was wrong of him to feel the way he did, but he couldn't help it, watching those other two: everyday upon waking up in the morning, Naruto would immediately turn his first smile of the day to their new temporary roommate, ask him if he'd slept well; then the two of them would trot down to breakfast--Naruto was big on getting the redhead to eat as much as he could--and get ready for, and walk to and from, school together. Not that they left Sasuke out--Sasuke was just so use to it being only him and Naruto that it felt like Naruto was replacing him. He knew somewhere that this was completely unthinkable for the blond, but the irrational part of him was completely overriding it. Especially because of how much Naruto seemed to enjoy Gaara's company.

Gaara wouldn't talk at all, at least, not to anyone but Naruto; when asked, Naruto would only shrug and say that he wasn't getting very far on getting him to open up to anyone, much less himself. The redhead dragged his teddy bear with him everywhere, never put it down; and when he had to use his hands, would carefully place the stuffed animal on his lap, and position his arms around it. He was very quiet, very closed, very...dependent. When Naruto stood, Gaara immediately stood as well, uncaring where the blonde was going. (Of course, he would be sitting in the hallway when Naruto went to the bathroom, and would grab the blond's hand or sleeve as soon as he stepped out.)

Since the boy wouldn't speak, there was no way for any of them to determine where he was from; Naruto learned from him--somehow--that he _did _have a house, and two people to look after him. So Kakashi had set off on his quest to find the boy's home, and Iruka willingly took up the duty of housing him until Kakashi's quest was completed.

Class 302 was much more understanding about it when they were informed of Gaara's (not really so) unique case, surprisingly so: when Gaara entered their classroom a few days after they saw him for the first time, he was greeted by sincere smiles and enthusiastic--but not too loud--welcomes. Gaara scooted in close to Naruto and stared at them all without enough emotion to be counted as an actual expression. Sasuke slunk in without a word as well, glaring in a subdued fashion at the floor as he sank into his seat.

"Sasuke?"

The boy looked up at his teacher's call. "Yeah?"

The blonde woman smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry...but would you mind moving to the seat in the back? Gaara doesn't seem comfortable sitting alone."

Sasuke felt betrayed; why not move Shikamaru instead? Or Neji, in front of Naruto, or Lee behind him? He glanced around to see if anyone else had noticed this unfair treatment, but they were all leaning forward to whisper their salutations to Gaara. Glowering, he grabbed his bag and joined Shino in the back row.

_He doesn't deserve this..._

Flashing obsidian eyes rose slowly to rest on the laughing blonde a few seats away.

_...but..._

Gaara was enigmatic, unresponsive to any of the friendly words sent his way, seemingly ignoring Naruto as well; in the latter's case, however, the redhead would turn his head slightly in Naruto's direction, showing he was listening.

_...he already belongs to us..._

Suddenly, Naruto looked back to the fuming Sasuke, and smiled a little sadly. _"Sorry Sasuke," _he mouthed.

..._Stupid Gaara. You can't have him._

---

"C'mon, Sasuke!" Naruto called at the gate, turning and waving back to him with both arms. "Let's go home!"

Sasuke stood with Neji and Shikamaru; he glanced up instinctively at the blonde's shout and immediately registered Gaara at his side. "No," he said in an aloof voice that surprised even himself. "I think I'll go to the arcade with these guys instead." And he regretted his words at once, for the look of hurt in the suddenly all-too-bright eyes across the schoolyard; it wasn't so much what he said, as it was how he said it.

And yet, he didn't apologize; he wanted Naruto to ask for it--to ask for forgiveness on his part, even though he shouldn't have had to. That was his problem; none of _his _screw-ups were selfish ones.

_I want him to need _me.

But then Naruto's face warmed into a smile and he chirped, too cheerfully, "Alright! We'll g'head then. See you tonight!" then left with Gaara, leaving Sasuke feeling strangely empty--Gaara threw a cold stare over his shoulder, and Shikamaru fell silent, while Kiba's gaze hit the ground.

_...Am I really this selfish? _Sasuke's fists clenched. _I'm acting like a spoiled child!_

---

The moon shone in through the window; Sasuke was fast asleep, rolled onto his side, facing the wall. Gaara was sleeping just as soundly, curled up on Naruto's bed, bear lying limply over one arm. Naruto sat on the couch under the window with Kyuubi asleep in his lap, staring out into their backyard, watching with subdued fascination the moonbeams glance off the pool, creating prisms of light that danced over the surface of the water restlessly.

"Aren't you sleepy?"

The voice was soft, hoarse with neglect; it always surprised him, but Naruto smiled anyway. "Not really," he told the roused redhead. "Why? Can't you sleep?"

Pale blue eyes met warmer ones; "You're crying."

Naruto blinked, shocked, raising a hand to his face; sure enough, traitor tears were there, betraying him. "Ah, must be something in my eyes." He rubbed the back of his wrist over his eyes for something to do with his hands. "Go back to bed, I'm sorry for waking you up."

"You didn't wake me up. You cry quietly." Gaara joined him on the couch, nestling into the blonde's side. Naruto smiled at him, giving in and putting an arm around his shoulders slowly so he wouldn't wake up his fox. "I woke up 'cause I got cold."

_Not the kind of cold when you don't have a blanket, _he thought to himself, watching the blond tip his head back to rest it on the back of the couch and shut his eyes; his tearstained face reflected in the moonlight, making the moisture shimmer and the blond look overall more morbid than any conscious efforts could have. _The kind of cold you feel whenever you're sure your alone...when you're positive there's no one else there. _

"Oh. Well, let's go back to bed then. School tomorrow, right?"

"Today was Friday," Gaara said quietly.

Naruto frowned. "It was, wasn't it?"

"Are you okay?" Gaara glanced at him sidelong. "You're acting funny."

"Fine," Naruto stood, Kyuubi carefully cradled in one arm, stretching his free arm out--orange pajamas and all--then crawled back into bed, carefully situating Kyuubi on his pillow. Gaara followed him, still eyeing him worriedly as though if he watched his friend long enough he would be able to decipher his distress. However, as soon as Naruto's head hit the pillow--he snuggled into it cutely (kawaii!!)--he seemed to give into exhaustion and fell asleep immediately, after a mumbled, "'Night..."

Gaara, however, would stay away for the next few hours, gazing over his blond companion/rescuer, and glaring across the room at the sleeping brunette in the bed opposite his own.

_How dare he make Naruto cry._

---

The silence as they walked to school on Monday was tense; Naruto found himself walking inbetween Sasuke and Gaara, who both seemed determined not to look at each other--and when they did it was a glare worth mentioning to friends later on during the day. The blond tried to make himself as small as possible, wide-eyed and staring straight ahead, lest he be caught in the soundless screaming-battle echoing all around him. When they entered the classroom, everyone noted at once Sasuke's and Gaara's hostility and Naruto's discomfort. Naruto ducked in quickly, sliding into his seat, and only barely suppressed a groan whenever Sasuke brushed past him and Gaara settled in the desk on his left side.

_What's wrong with them? _Naruto thought furtively, completely unknowing. _They've hardly said a word to each other, and they're still at each other's throats! _With Gaara, it seemed to be a built-in defense, and it was true that Sasuke hadn't been all-too friendly with the children in the orphanage before his recent adoption; but still, Naruto had never seen him act this way before...

"Naruto," Tsunade said suddenly, "would you come up here for a second?" Naruto nodded, standing, and was unsurprised to hear Gaara stand as well. Tsunade, however, smiled kindly at the redhead; "No, Gaara--would you please stay where you are?"

Dead silence filled the room. Naruto glanced sidelong at Gaara, a little apprehensively. The redhead was being particularly difficult already, and Naruto didn't want anything else to happen that would set him off; it wasn't that he was at all afraid of Gaara, just that he'd spent a little over a week gaining the trust of the smaller boy and didn't want that ruined.

"I will sit with him while you are talking, Naruto," Lee said suddenly, sitting down in Naruto's vacant chair. He beamed at Gaara, who blinked. "I have not seen Gaara since that time in the alley!"

Naruto smiled relievedly at Lee, portraying endless thanks in suddenly soulfull eyes, and then smiled at Gaara. "You don't mind, do you?" Gaara's suddenly more-emotionless-than-usual eyes met Naruto's. "Two minutes! I swear, you won't know I'm gone!" After another pause, Gaara sat slowly back down, and the whole class (minus a sulking raven-haired) sighed with relief and triumph. Naruto trotted up to the Tsunade's desk, smiling cheerily. "Yeah, grandma?"

He was the only student who wouldn't get smacked for calling her that; mainly because he was the only student who kept calling her that after being smacked--several times. "Listen, Naruto..." Her tone was hushed, her eyes serious. "Kakashi found Gaara's guardians." She felt her resolve waver when the pair of bright blue eyes in front of her widened, losing their warmth. "You knew this wouldn't be permanent, Naruto. And won't it be easier on you, when he's gone?" It was easy for her to tell when one of her students came in tired, and Naruto was beginning to look exhausted day after day; he'd never mention it (not even under torture) but it was there, plain as day.

Naruto stared at her, uncomprehendingly, as though he didn't understand. "Is...Is that how it seems...?" He seemed horrified, and Tsunade immediately regretted her choice of words. "Does...Do I act like...he's troublesome...? A burden...?"

"No, Naruto, of course not--"

The blond whipped around, frantically sweeping the room with his panicked gaze, as though he was afraid that while his back was turned someone had swooped in and stolen Gaara from the room. But no--there the little redhead sat, staring at him from the desk that was previously Sasuke's, waiting impatiently for him to quit talking; his gaze was accusing--'It's been more than two minutes.'

And Naruto was afraid; good or bad...would he be willing to give up Gaara--_his _Gaara, his little brother, the boy that had depended so much on him, whom he'd come to depend as well for that very reason--even if it was the best thing for him?

And when something dripped onto his hand, he realized he was crying again; he wanted to scream--why the hell was he crying so much nowadays? He wasn't aware that Gaara was completely disregarding his earlier request (that Gaara stay at his desk), and was completely taken aback when the small fist gripped the hem of his shirt suddenly.

"I told you you cry quietly," came the very soft voice.

---

He glared at them with all the strength he could muster. They were a little put-out but unfazed; their gazes were locked on Gaara, who looked indifferent where he sat at Naruto's side. Iruka was standing behind Naruto, too protective, and Sasuke was slouching in the doorway, unwilling to be a part of the proceedings, but unwilling also to miss Gaara's departure. Kakashi was standing in between them, but to the side, looking from one pair to the other, like he would rather be anywhere else.

"Well, Naruto..." he began softly, and Naruto turned his scorching gaze on the platinum-haired man; but it had softened into a desperate, pleading gaze that left Kakashi wishing he could correct whatever went wrong. However... "I guess it's time for you to tell Gaara goodbye."

The betrayal in those despairingly bright eyes hurt him to see, but the blond shifted his gaze away quickly. He stared at the ground, expression trembling, tightening his grip on Gaara's hand. Gaara blinked, looking from Naruto to the vaguely familiar people across the table, and wondered distantly what was happening. He opened his mouth to ask if Naruto was all right, when Naruto dropped his hand like a hot brick.

"Go." He said, shoving his chair back from the table with so much force it came crashing down; but he was already up and stalking away. Gaara stared after him eyes wide.

"Naru--"

"I said _go." _Naruto's back was to the redhead, to his guardians, to Kakashi, to Iruka. "Get out. Don't ever come back."

Gaara continued to gaze at him, uncomprehending and afraid. "Naruto..." He stood as well, clutching his bear under one arm, and stepped around his chair toward the blond. "Naruto, why--"

Naruto didn't turn to face him, just yelled, "_I DON'T EVER WANT TO SEE YOU AGAIN!"_

Gaara stopped his approach, hand frozen in midair where it had been reaching out to the blond. His eyes darkened, and after a few tense seconds, his arm fell to his side. Things moved quickly after that; Gaara was rushed out the door, Kakashi was thanked for his efforts in reuniting their family, and all three of them were gone.

No one wanted to look at Naruto; he was trembling still, hunched where he stood, fists clenched. Iruka and Kakashi exchanged glances and the former took a few steps forward. "Hey..." the gentle doctor said softly, putting a soothing hand on Naruto's back. "It's okay..."

And apparently, that was exactly the opposite of what Naruto needed to hear; for while Sasuke had been lounging in the doorway--sulking, pouting like a child--he had had a clear view of Naruto's face when Naruto had turned his back on the room and it's inhabitants. He saw clearly what was written there; _"I don't deserve it...I don't deserve it...I __**don't deserve it**__..."_

_Beat me. Wound me so I can never stand again. I don't deserve any sympathy--especially not from any of you._

In Naruto's eyes, he'd done the unthinkable in allowing Gaara to be taken away; in his own mind, he'd turned his back on someone who depended on him, someone who needed him more than anyone else. He'd discarded him when it became troublesome, he thought...even though to everyone else in the room it was clear that that was not the case.

Nevertheless, Sasuke saw the tears streaming down the whisker-scarred face, the sobs racking his brother's trembling frame. And when the blond slowly wrapped his arms around himself, hugging his chest tightly and sinking into a crouch, Sasuke felt worse than he could ever remembed; _could I have done something? Something...anything..._

_...Don't cry like that._

He reached forward hesitantly; would Naruto still allow him to be near? Surely the fox-boy knew how much he'd hated Gaara, how much he'd wished the boy would just dissapear...

And yet as soon as his fingertips brushed Naruto's face, the latter had stopped crying to some extent, staring up at him with watery eyes.

_Don't cry like that..._

"I'm...I'm s...sorry..."

The words were not his; Sasuke's eyes widened further--surely Naruto wasn't _apologizing. _It was what he'd wanted--Naruto to need him, Naruto to apologize, Naruto to do wrong and deserve resentment that Sasuke would never be able to manage to feel for the blond anyway...He knelt as well, and Naruto threw his arms around him desperately, sobbing now. _I'm sorry...I'm sorry..._

_I don't deserve it._

**Okay, rather short. It was a little rushed, but overall I'm not too unhappy with where it went...Hn...Ah, well. School tomorrow. Damn killjoy. Anywhose...please review!**


	16. Part 16

**Yay! Naruto-chan has a mental (cough**_**Emotional**_**cough) breakdown! -cheers- Oh, come on, you know you were waiting for it...This is the angsty update we've **_**all **_**been waiting for, in any case! (Well, maybe not all...I guess **_**I **_**was, but I have no life, so...Yeah...)**

**  
Oh! Guess what!...I don't think I failed my French exams. -squeals excitedly- I didn't study, either!!...Maybe it was **_**too**_** easy...-pales-...Maybe I should be worried... BUT that's too troublesome so I won't be!! Yosh! Next chapter, dangit!! And why yes; I am on sugar-high. **_**Do you have a problem with that?! **_**-twitch- How else would I be writing this so quickly?! Eh?!**

**OOCness has invaded this chapter; if you don't like that, get out while you still can. If you can tough it up and battle your way through, kudos and cyber-muffin to you.**

**Ikusei! Dattebayo!**

_Broken Glass (Part 16)-_

_Love_

He wasn't an idiot; he had felt Naruto's desperation, the way Naruto's hand shook as he gripped his. The blond had been growling, throwing harsh words at the two who'd taken Gaara away, unwilling...Gaara had been a little slow then was all, just a little shocked--Naruto's words were empty, had no real meaning. The blond would never have turned away from someone rather than face them; he was obviously hiding more tears.

He hated those tears. Tears mean someone isn't happy, after all, and a sad Naruto wasn't right.

Naruto had hurt himself to make leaving easier for Gaara; he tried to cut ties brutally, harshly, so Gaara would never want to come back, would want always to stay with his real 'family'. Gaara wasn't stupid. Given the choice, he'd go straight back to Mr. Iruka's house again--he had, after all, left his teddy bear there. The problem that hindered this solution, however, remained:

he had no clue where he was.

---

"Okay, has everyone chosen their colors?" the art instructor asked them cheerfully, holding up her own selection of three threads, one green, one red and one yellow. There was a brief rustling and then her class chorused back its affirmative. "Good--now, do what you learned yesterday--tape the knotted end of your string down to the table, that's it--oh, careful, Sakura, your tape's not sticking very well--Lee, stop bouncing and work, recess will come soon enough--Shikamaru, put the book away, how many times--"

And so on. At their table, the Uminos were very silently completing their project; Sasuke, who'd paid attention the day before (because he honestly had nothing better to do; normally he whispered with Naruto, but the latter didn't talk much anymore and Sasuke still wasn't sure he'd forgiven him--and he was hating himself more and more for how selfish he'd turned out to be), was working at a steady speed, whereas Naruto, who'd stared vaguely into the distance and probably hadn't heard a word the teacher uttered on the subject, frowned at the thread in his hands as though it were its fault that he couldn't wind it together properly.

"A-Ah...N-Naruto...?"

Both boys glanced up at the tentative whisper; the speaker blushed a brilliant crimson. Sasuke felt Naruto completely relax beside him; more relaxed than he had been all day. "Hinata," the blond said by way of greeting. A happy, somewhat tired smile played across his lips. "Will you help me?"

Sasuke's eyes widened. He wipped around; Hinata's blush had faded slightly, and she smiled as well, tilting her head to one side, shutting her eyes--Naruto's was a smile that just couldn't go unacknowledged. Naruto got up, dragging another chair over for her (one that Shikamaru had a foot propped up on) and grinned at the genius's half-hearted glare, Hinata sitting down in the spot provided; then they both leaned over their uncooperative string and tugged on them, lightly so they wouldn't disrupt their tape, Hinata pointing things out here and there whenever Naruto verged upon knotting the wrong thread.

"Make a four, Naruto--yes, that's right--"

"Ohhh, I see now. Over this one?"

"No, take that one under...yes, perfect--"

Sasuke continued to stare at them, not that they noticed; slowly, Naruto's face eased into one of quiet joy, and he was soon engrossed in his work. Hinata fell silent as well, fingers moving surely, unshakingly, as she sped efficiently through her project.

_He asked her._

Sasuke knew it was just the wrong choice of words--because Naruto didn't really know better--but that he'd turned to Hinata for help even with so small a task as a friendship bracelet instead of Sasuke...

After a half an hour had passed, the teacher clapped her hands. "Alright, alright! Settle down--Kiba, put the scissors down, you don't need to make a mask--Chouji, I told you not to bring food in here, what if you spill?--Oh, Shikamaru, _give me that book_! Well, put it away if you don't want me to take it! Ino, don't stand on your chair, sit please." Whenever the class had settled down, she smiled and continued, "We have a few minutes until the lunch bell rings--everyone, exchange bracelets!"

It wasn't a big to-do. Sakura and Ino switched, naturally, admiring the other's work gleefully, complimenting each other on their handiwork; Shino gave his to Kiba, Kiba his to Hinata, and Hinata hers to Shino, the three of them smiling at one another as they tightened the woven band around each other's wrist; Chouji and Shikamaru swapped without a word, not even thinking about it--Shikamaru slipped his quickly around his thin wrist, then reached over to help Chouji with his; TenTen gave hers to Neji, Neji his to Lee and Lee gave his to TenTen--Neji, the think-aheader, had chosen various shades of green, Lee's favorite color, and was rewarded with an over-enthusiastic hug for his efforts.

Naruto looked a little uncertainly at his orange-brown-red bracelet and then glanced at Sasuke. He offered it to him, muttering, "Trade?"

Sasuke glanced at the trinket, then at his own darkblue-lightblue-black one. Without a word, he took Naruto's and dropped his own in Naruto's open palm. He turned away before he could see it, but somehow he knew a small smile had flitted across Naruto's face for the briefest of seconds before the blond turned his attention to tying the troublesome bracelet on.

_How can a person as greedy as I am accept a smile from him?_

---

He was walking down the hall from his locker, planning on joining his class for lunch (it amazed the school in general, not just teachers, how close 302 was; the students always sat together, played together, joined each other immediately on the schoolyard--it was different, for not a single classmate was left out), paused when something pink came rushing towards him. He blinked at Sakura, who held a squirming Kyuubi; the fox leapt from her arms at once to Sasuke--it growled at him (he knew Sasuke was upset with Naruto for some reason and didn't like it), but dissapeared down the collar of his shirt anyway, quite obviously ruffled.

Panting, Sakura gasped, "S-S-Sasuke--in the Rec. Room--Naruto's--he's gone...he's so upset, we don't know what happened--"

Sasuke felt everything kind of fall away after those words; he was running past her, messenger bag thumping painfully against his thighs, lunch bag in his hand forgotten. He tore down the hallways, rushing past teachers and gone before they had time to stop him. Door numbers flashed through his vision, everything blurring together except for the next words he found: _Recreation Room. _He stopped dead when he reached that sign.

His class, random other students and several teachers, including Tsunade, stood gathered outside the door, looking in through the small window with concern. Sasuke didn't bother with speaking, only shoved his way through them whether they were peer or faculty, and slammed the door open. Someone reached for him, but someone else (arguably a strong, blonde-haired woman with a fierce love for her class as a whole and as individuals. Discuss) smacked their arm out of the way.

The place was a mess. Equipment scattered across the floor, weights thrown haphazardly against the wall, broken windows, chipped fragments falling still from the top of the hole in the glass, soccer and basketballs, some still rolling, hurled about the room, an upturned pool table...The walls were a mess, the painted stone chipped and crumbling in some places where something heavy had been beaten repeatedly against the wall, paint chipping, coating the floor in a twisted kind of snow...

And there he was, crying. Not punching a wall with angry tears in his eyes, not curled into a pathetic ball under a desk sobbing silently, not even wailing loudly, falling to his knees and wiping his tears noisily.

He just stood there, knuckles dripping blood where he'd pounded his fists against the wall, tears streaming silently down his face, shoulders shaking as he tried to suppress his sobs. It didn't seem to matter to him that he'd just virtually destroyed school property (an entire _room_), nor did he seem to care about entertaining an audience as large as his was. It was like he was in his own world, crying, crying there where no one else could see, unleashing rage he never wanted in the first place...

And then he saw Sasuke.

Before the raven-haired knew it, the blond was in front of him, delivering a solid punch to his face. He fell back, more because of the surprise than the pain, and covered his face with both hands, eyes widening in pain. "Na..." His voice came out muffled. "Naruto..."

"Th...That's...for Gaara..." Naruto whispered, eyes crazed. His arm fell to his side, making his entire body sway almost limply. Sasuke saw it coming before it happened and reached out to catch the whisker-scarred boy before he could hit the cement floor. His eyes weren't unfocused, just distant and unseeing--yet staring with an intensity that was almost unreal, at something Sasuke wouldn't ever see.

"...For Gaara." Even now--even at this moment--Sasuke felt the selfishness grip his heart and squeeze. _Always--it's always Gaara._

"He...never had anyone before..." His words weren't accusing anymore. "He...was always alone...Like...like us, Sasuke..."

Whatever had hold of his heart clenched tightly; Sasuke inhaled sharply, feeling pain he wasn't sure was real, staring down at his little brother, whose gaze was still somewhat distant. Kyuubi wormed his way out of Sasuke's shirt and the obsidian-eyed tried to stop it with the arm that wasn't holding Naruto from the ground, worried for the creature's safety (Naruto was _clearly _unstable), but when the fox climbed onto his master's chest, the blonde smiled, kissing it on the head soothingly. "Sorry, 'yuubi. I didn't mean to scare you." Some life was coming back into his eyes; he sat up, cradling the delicate animal close to him. "You're a good boy, aren't you?" he murmured quietly to his pet, the fox purring loudly in approval ("yes. compliment me").

_You haven't left my side._

Naruto paused suddenly, blinking. He glanced down at his legs. Frowning, he whispered, "My legs won't move."

Sasuke shook himself, trying to get the words crazy-Naruto had said out of his head. "It's because you spazzed then collapsed, idiot," he said quietly, standing and brushing himself off. He reached down and gripped Naruto's wrists, pulling him to his feet. Naruto swayed again, and would've fell, had Sasuke not dipped slightly, letting Naruto fall against one of his shoulders. "Ultimate moron," he muttered, and heard Naruto chuckle. Kyuubi was laying inbetween their heads, have on Naruto's shoulder, half on Sasuke's, claws dug into each shirt; for this was where the fox wanted to be always, in the middle of the two, keeping them together.

It seemed like Naruto had calmed down, because he leaned heavily against Sasuke, eyes half shut, as the latter led him toward the door; not to say Sasuke had any trouble--Naruto wasn't heavy at all. At the door, students and teachers alike took a few steps back; but Tsunade and class 302 were instantly at Sasuke's side, Shikamaru slipping Naruto's other arm around his shoulder, Kiba gently taking Kyuubi from them, handling the fox as carefully as he did Akamaru (said dog gave Kyuubi a friendly lick, and the fox returned it). Hinata was peering into Naruto's face, trembling with concern, and Shino gently drew her out of the way. Lee said nothing (in fact, none of the nine-year-olds said anything), only picked up both boys' bags and shouldered them with ease.

"I'm taking him home," Sasuke said to the hall in general. No one argued; none of the teachers thought to question the only person who'd been able to calm the usually harmless blond.

"I'm going," Shikamaru said in a tone forbidding discussion. Kiba and Lee opted to go as well. No one argued; Neji said quietly, "I'll stay behind and cover things in the class" and even though everyone thought that that was a little strange for a child to say, the rest of his class nodded, immediately acceptant. Sasuke and Shikamaru silently started down the hall, Lee ahead of them, Kiba behind, walking with his free arm extended out to them, ready to catch Naruto should he fall.

---

"He's sleeping," Sasuke said authoratively, closing the door behind him as he stepped out of the bedroom he and his brother shared. His classmates, gathered in the hall, sagged and smiled halfheartedly. "Now," Sasuke continued, joining them in sitting on the floor rather than take their conversation elsewhere, "tell me what happened."

"I was not there when it began," Lee said ruefully, and Kiba nodded agreement. Shikamaru glared at them blearily and sighed.

"He was talking with Shino--" none of them chose to comment on how odd it was for the bug-lover to talk to anyone other than Kiba or Hinata, and instead progressed with the conversation--"and everything was going normally for awhile...And then all of a sudden, Kyuubi started...snarling, at everyone around him; which is weird, because normally Kyuubi'll let anybody pet him. And at about that time, I glanced over at Naruto--he was snarling too. Well, it looked like he was, but he wasn't making any noise. Anyways, he tore away from Shino and everybody who'd gathered around him and started screaming."

Shikamaru's eyes darkened at the memory; Kiba fidgeted and Lee's gaze was intent on the hardwood floor. Sasuke waited impatiently for the genius-child to continue, before finally being rewarded with more of the tale.

"He didn't look angry as much as he looked..." The Nara tilted his face upward. "Scared...? Anyway, I told Sakura to go find you, because I thought it might've been one of his attacks." Sasuke silently thanked whatever gods existed for giving him a friend such as Shikamaru, who would react well to troubling (or troublesome) situations. "Hinata was talking with him, trying to calm him down, and it worked for a little bit, but then she said..." Shikamaru's dark eyes flickered to Sasuke's for an instant and then away again.

Sasuke frowned. "She said what?" he asked sharply before Shikamaru could continue.

The ponytailed boy sighed. "She said 'Sasuke's coming'. After that, none of us could get around to him, so me and Neji and Chouji got everyone out into the hall. TenTen got some teachers, and Tsunade told us it'd be best if we waited for you to come. But the whole time, Naruto kept shouting the same thing over and over again, and he kept hitting the wall and throwing stuff..."

Here, Lee broke in: "I did not know Naruto is as strong as he is!" he exclaimed, while Kiba agreed fervently.

Sasuke, trying to shake himself out of a suddenly cold stupor that was invading his mind, blinked at them. "Strong?"

"You know those really heavy weights none of us can lift, even if we all try together?" When Sasuke confirmed he did, in fact, know of the weights, Kiba continued, "Naruto lifted 'em up and hurled up across the room like they were nothing!"

Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "You're exaggerating. But he did lift them, albeit with both hands, and he did toss them quite aways--overhanded, because of how upset he was."

"He was hitting the walls hard enough to crack them," Lee said quietly. "His hands were bleeding, did you notice?"

"How could I not?" Kiba said, voice hushed as well. "Didn't seem to bother him, though, eh? He just kept on yelling and punching like his life depended on it." Thankfully, none of the other boys noticed Sasuke tense up.

_Or someone else's..._

"Oy, Sasuke--" Sasuke's head jerked up wildly. Shikamaru paused before continuing as though nothing had happened, "When does your dad get back?"

Sasuke blinked, glanced at the clock on the wall opposite the one he leaned against. "About an hour, give or take--he might be here in a few minutes, actually, depending on how early they let him leave."

"Mm...I think we'd better go." Shikamaru stood, seemingly oblivious to his peers incredulous stares. "If your dad gets back and finds us here, it'll be troublesome. ...And I don't think Naruto'd want anyone else around right now, not even us. Alright?"

_Thaaaaat's Shikamaru for you. _"Y...Yeah. That makes sense." He stood with them and walked them to the door; they were down the walk when they turned around--Sasuke looked so small and alone in the doorway, even as he was waving goodbye, that Kiba called, "You're okay here by yourself?"

"Of course!"

"Alright." The three boys hurried back to school; laughing with each other excitedly as they rushed to make it before lunch period ended. Watching them go, Sasuke realized how different they were; a lazy genius, an overenthusiastic achiever, a dog-loving sarcastic punk...And yet there they were, grinning and jostling one another as they ran; Lee jogged with them, though they all knew he could have made it to the school in two minutes flat.

They accepted one another, even though they had so many things that might've set them apart.

Sasuke watched them go; and stood staring after them, even when they'd rounded the corner and were out of sight. Although he could see perfectly the birds, and the people and the traffic...he'd never felt so blind before in his life.

---

Iruka opened the door to the smell of hazlenut; he frowned, dumping his briefcase and coat on the floor by the door (really, an average day in their family is quite structured) and made his way to the kitchen, where his older--but not by much--son stood at the counter, making coffee. "Hey dad," he said by way of greeting. "Cream, right?"

Iruka watched him for a few moments, noting immediately his unreasonably firm grip on the coffee pot, and the way the glass shook slightly when he poured the drink in. "Yes," he answered quietly, sitting down at the table, deciding not to ask why his son was out of school. "Just cream." And when Sasuke sat the mug in front of him, then seated himself in the chair on his right and leaned against him slightly--not completely so the man wouldn't spill his steaming hot beverage all over him--Iruka knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that something was the matter. When he questioned the boy, Sasuke mumbled,

"What's love?"

Iruka put an arm around his son's shoulders, abandoning the coffee. "What brought this on?"

The answer was mumbled into the cotton of Iruka's sleeve; "...Everything."

Iruka smiled softly, unsurprised. "I can't really explain what love is," he said quietly, rubbing Sasuke's arm comfortingly. "It's a...feeling...that can't really be described with words."

"...Can you try?"

Iruka blinked and smiled again. "Of course." He leaned back in his chair, still stroking Sasuke's sleeve; Sasuke subconsciously nuzzled closer into the man's side, loving the warmth that was the other being. They say quietly for a few moments, both of them respecting the other's silence and deepening it, waiting for the right words to be found. "Well...I guess it's...You care about Naruto, don't you?"

Sasuke blinked at the sudden question; "Of course I do," he said suspiciously, unsure where his father was taking the conversation. "You know that."

"Yes, I know," Iruka said with another of his trademark gentle smiles. "Just bear with me. How much do you care about Naruto?"

Sasuke answered without thinking; "Enough to do crazy shit I normally wouldn't go near." He got bopped on the head for his language, and was then asked to please elaborate: "Well...everything that's happened to us...Everything we've been through..." Sasuke scrunched his face in thought. "I mean, we understand each other. My past was bad, and his was too, but...we never really...that just never comes up. When I'm around him, it's like all the things I used to dwell on don't matter." He glanced up at the doctor. "Does that make sense?"

"I feel the same way," Iruka chuckled, ruffling the dark-eyed boy's raven-feather-hair. "Go on."

"...He's just...always _there._" The boy frowned. "Like, if I ever needed help with anything at all, he'd be the one to help me, no matter what it did to him." A sudden vision filled Sasuke's mind; a memory of being called to the porch, Kakashi kneeling over a limp, lifeless body; of stumbling numbly over to the man, only for him to stand and move away, of seeing nothing but the unconscious blonde boy, skin chillled, breathing uneven, curled around a crying fox.

Shaking himself, he mumbled, "He's just...the best friend everyone needs."

Iruka hugged his older son closer to him. "Okay, that emotion your feeling as you say those words; if you mean them sincerely, from the bottom of your heart, then that emotion is love." Iruka smiled at Sasuke's dumbfounded expression. "It's not the type of romance-love, the kind in those movies you never watch; it's...more instinctive with you two. Natural; like to hate one another isn't a possible function. Your's is a very, very deep love; just, not one that's shown through touch." This was where it got difficult. "The more serious love a boy might feel for a girl will come later in life; right now, you have to worry about brotherly love--and the love for all your friends."

_Shikamaru...Kiba...Lee...Neji...Shino...Chouji...Sakura...Ino...Hinata...TenTen..._

Each name he brought to the surface of his mind carried that vague emotion Iruka had depicted for him; it wasn't new, Sasuke realized, so it must have been there for awhile--he just couldn't discern it because no one had pointed it out to him first.

_Naruto..._

There; the emotion was there, strong and firm.

_Kakashi-sir..._

_Dad..._

How could he not have felt what it was he was feeling before?

_...Gaara..._

"Remember, Sasuke," his father said suddenly, interrupting thoughts the man knew were far too morbid for normal youth, "without the second there can't be a first."

_And without a third, there can't be a second._

They sat like that for a few more moments; Sasuke's eyes strayed to the table. The steam had stopped rising from Iruka's untouched coffee mug; it had long since grown cold. Sasuke started to stand, murmuring, "I'll get you some more coffee--" but his father caught him by the wrist, holding him in place.

"Would you do me a different favor instead?"

"...Sure...?"

"I want you to go see how Naruto's doing," the brunette man smiled, tipping his head a bit to one side. "You haven't checked up on him since I got home."

Sasuke stared at his father, wide-eyed; he wasn't about to question how the doctor knew Naruto was here as well: could it have anything to do with Sasuke's continuous glances in the direction of the stairs? Or the fact that even though they hadn't been as friendly as of late, one wouldn't ditch school without the other?

"Okay," he said, and Iruka released his wrist. "See you." And he trotted out of the kitchen keeping his pace calm; and when he was sure he was in the clear, he tore up the stairs and into his bedroom, shutting the door firmly behind him.

_Safe. _

Why had he felt so cornered down there? That emotion; that 'love', was messing with his head. He made his way over to the window; the noon sun was shining brightly. Grumbling to himself, he drew the curtains, shutting out the light effeciently. Turning towards his bed, he savored the dim room; slight darkness was much more comforting than bright light. A whimper drew his attention to Naruto's bed. Two bright eyes--belonging to a certain fox (I won't mention any names)--stared at him, flashing green in the dark.

"Kyuubi, shush," Sasuke hissed, "you'll wake up Naruto."

The fox yipped again.

"I'm going to smother you if you don't shut up."

Another bark. Sasuke twitched, marching up to the bed. He reached for the fox, only for the fox to move so suddenly it threw him off balance; he swayed and fell, managing to brace himself with a hand on the side of the bed and and a hand on the wall, leaving him hanging perilously over his little brother. He glared at the fox, who purred self-contentedly.

_"...Sas...uke..."_

Sasuke's eyes widened, realizing he and Naruto were mere inches apart; if he were to slip the slightest bit, he'd fall and wake Naruto up for sure. But then, Naruto's eyelids slid back, revealing warm, sleepy blue eyes, somehow as bright as Kyuubi's in the dim room. Nothing was said for a few moments; then Naruto whispered, "If you're going to sleep...will you sleep over here, with us?" His fox's devilish eyes glinted at his side, daring Sasuke to object.

Sasuke stared at Naruto for a few moments, feeling that feeling that Iruka had been describing burn again; it wasn't romantic-love...it was... He sighed, having no words to explain it. He let himself down slowly on Naruto's left, so he was against the wall. Kyuubi burrowed between them and was asleep in minutes; Sasuke glanced at Naruto, unsure of where he stood with the blonde. But Naruto was smiling at him, that smile of complete content, as though he'd gotten more from the world than he'd ever expected was possible. Then the blue eyes closed slowly and Naruto murmued, "G'night, Sasuke..."

Sasuke would lie awake, and watch his brother sleep. He would gaze about the room, notice it begin to get darker than the relief from the sun the heavy curtain already blessed them with; night was falling. He would let his eyes fall half-shut; would worm closer to the fox (a miniature, breathing heater) and his brother, and finally lose himself to sleep.

When Iruka came in to fetch the boys for dinner, he would find them lying face-to-face, having curled instinctively closer to one another in their sleep, the little red fox curled into a ball between them, and their arms brought up, wrists crossing, so their friendship bracelets brushed together lightly.

_I love you._

**I finally got that out. -wearily- I can't believe how bad this chapter is. This IS NOT yaoi; come on, people. Brothership like Edward and Alphonse Elric, from the anime/manga **_**FullMetal Alchemist. **_**That kind. This isn't INCEST or YAOI. Let me enjoy myself writing this stuff; and it's my hope that you will enjoy it as well, without asking me to add in 'more sasunaru'. No.**

**Thanks so much for reading thus far; don't worry, I will attempt to drag Gaara back into the storyline. It's all a question of how cooperative he chooses to be. Maybe I should recruit Naruto's help...**

**Reviews?**

**P.S.-**_**Leaves of Sand **_**fans? I'm working on it, really; I swear. -holds up right hand solemnly- The next chapter's halfway done.**


	17. Part 17

**Okay, I'm back! If this took awhile getting up, it's because I lost Internet for awhile: if it didn't take awhile, it's because I raised Hell and got Internet back. Okay? -beam- Yosh! Ikusei!! 'tebayo! E3**

**Note: You know how, in the actual anime/manga, when Naruto's enraged he starts developing Kyuubi-traits? Like, red eyes, wild hair, claws, fangs...? Well, since this isn't ninja-world, and it's New York -curses-, then Naruto's emotional unbalance here is the equivalent of that. You know his crazy super-strength as Kyuubi-Naruto-kun? Yeah, well, there's a shadow of that here as well; I mean, I can't have him tackling giant snakes, because that's unpractical. I hate to be the voice of reason, but...Ahh, well.**

**Wow. We have the air conditioner on and my feet are cold, but I'm too lazy to reach over and get the blanket right beside me, so my cat is curled up around my right foot, and my dog is sleeping on the left. -happy- Teamwork!**

_Broken Glass (Part 17)-_

_Breakdown_

The days passed quickly; the rift had not been closed, neither Sasuke or Naruto, whether for selfish reasons or complete obliviousness, making amends. They spoke to each other quietly, conversations short and frank; the house was a whole lot quieter than it had been been four months ago; not that any of them but Sasuke really blamed Gaara.

Gaara...it was that little redhead's fault, in Sasuke's mind. He was the one who forced himself into their lives, ending the play their lives had been; the curtain had been pulled back on both sides as they danced across life's stage: falling, failing, crying, losing--and then standing, facing the world and all of its dangers, proclaiming their lack of fear for all to hear. It was _Gaara's _fault that the lights had grown dim, the theater was emptying; the curtain was beginning to fall.

It was all Gaara's fault; at least, that's what Sasuke told himself. It didn't make him feel any better; it might have, had he believed his own hollow words.

Naruto seemed to realize what his gloom had done to his precious people, and was determined to make up for it, smiling and laughing like his old self; no one was fooled.

_When did your smile start to look so fake?_

Iruka seemed to watch Naruto closer than he had before, studying the blond's every move carefully; he seemed to be reading the blue-eyed better than Sasuke could. Naruto pretended not to notice, smile fixed on his face as he went about the day. Kyuubi never left his side; it was odd, for the little creature usually disappeared off into the house somewhere during the days it was not accompanying Naruto to school.

Things went on like this for a few days; it was as they were eating dinner (Kakashi, too; I told you, he's a moocher, and has long since been accepted as family), Naruto froze, staring at something over his father's shoulder. Kyuubi started snarling like mad, making everyone but his master jump; and just as suddenly, the kitchen table was hurled to the side, hitting the wall with a resounding crash, food and broken plates and cups littering the floor. Naruto tore past his wide-eyed family to the corner of the room where a small brown bundle lay tucked against the wall.

Sasuke craned to see what it was; when he discerned it, his eyes widened and he jumped to his feet, grabbing Iruka's and Kakashi's hands in time to yank them out of the way as a chair flew past, hitting their now-vacant ones, and bringing all the furniture to the back of the room, crashing into what remained of their dinner. Kyuubi was still snarling like a wild creature, warning Kakashi and Iruka away from Naruto, who was crouched, sobbing, rocking back and forth and hugging Gaara's teddy bear to him.

Sasuke stayed where he was, staring at his little brother with what he could only describe to be fear. He was afraid of the blond, of the sudden, brute strength the blond possessed. He was afraid of the blond's instability, of his anger...

"Naruto," Iruka said gently, taking a few steps towards him. "Naruto, calm down." His words had an undesired effect on the crazed youth; he backed against the wall, fixing all of them with a wild-eyed stare. The growling Kyuubi seemed much larger than usual.

"H...Hel..."

Sasuke felt himself go a little numb when those blue eyes, filled and overflowing with tears, met his.

"Help..."

Nothing was said. Kyuubi kept up his noise, Iruka and Kakashi edging closer despite it--the closer they got, the more frightened Naruto became; and his fear didn't seem to be directed at them at all. Finally, he threw his arms over his head, clenching his eyes shut and curling around the bear, screaming, _"HELP ME!"_

He didn't _like _his anger; he was afraid of it, afraid of himself, of the broken glass still falling from the table, of the shattered cups and broken chairs lying about the kitchen floor, of the teddy bear he clutched to him...Sasuke stared at his kin, felt something in him snap; _If anyone in the world is allowed anger...fear..._.He clenched his fists.

He was moving before he made the conscious desicion to do so; he shoved past Kakashi and Iruka, stumbling to a halt in front of Naruto. Kyuubi let him pass, eyeing him with surprisingly bright eyes, and he knelt at Naruto's side fearlessly, wrapping his arms around the blond and dragging him closer, tucking the fox-boy's head under his chin and holding him tightly, whispering for him to stop crying, telling him it would be alright in the gentlest voice he could manage. Naruto eased into the comfort at once, crying steadily into the obsidian-eyed's shirt.

"It's okay..." Sasuke murmured quietly, eyes on the floor as he unconsciously rocked the smaller boy. "Nothing's going to happen now." Fists tightened on his shirt and he transfered his gaze to the blond; Naruto was in a state between wakefulness and sleep, unfocused eyes staring distantly at something that didn't exist outside his head. Sasuke let his head rest on the blond spikes, whispering the rest of the words his father had uttered what seemed like so long ago: "I'm here."

--

The rain fell lightly, like soft petals, hitting his face one by one and slowly wetting it, until he couldn't really discern the moisture anymore. He sat on the swing as it rained, moving himself backwards and forwards slowly, letting his feet drag so gravity and momentum did not completely control him. Mothers ushered their children under umbrellas, hurrying them to cars or down the sidewalk, hastily, to get out of the mild, cold weather. He watched them go, knowing himself to be alone once more. They didn't care; they left him there, on his swing, in the rain, alone.

_He would have cared, _the redhead couldn't help but think. _He wouldn't have left me._

But _he _wasn't there now, was he? He was gone.

--

"Find him," Sasuke repeated for the fourth time, voice the same as it had been the first. "I don't care what you have to do, or how many innocent people have to be sacrificed; do it, whatever it takes." Iruka raised an eyebrow at his dark humor, and Kakashi eye-smiled half-heartedly at him. Naruto had fallen asleep, leaned against Sasuke, and Kyuubi had vanished off into the house, grumbling to himself; Sasuke was making no move to go anywhere (since he had a sleeping blond draped across him), but that did not hinder his ability to command in any way.

In fact, it may have empowered him even more.

"Sasuke, it's not that simple. I _called _them, and they came to meet me," Kakashi said quietly, trying to explain so the boy would understand, and getting nowhere for all his effort. "I don't have any idea where they live, they didn't give me their address; I've got no way of finding them."

"So _call _them." He gave Kakashi the benefit of his blankest stare. "It doesn't take a genius."

Kakashi sighed. "It's not that easy, kid. Even if I did call them, what am I supposed to say? "Give us back your kid"?"

"Yes," Sasuke said with exasperation, as though Kakashi had _finally _caught on. "God--"

"Sasuke," Iruka said suddenly. "You're being selfish." The dark-eyed boy flinched, turning around to stare at his father. "Gaara's with the people he needs; it's the best for him. He needs to grow up with his family, so that they'll be the ones he depends on. He can't go on depending on someone he only met randomly, by some chance of fate. It really is for the best, Sasuke."

"But it's not the best for Naruto," came the former Uchiha's sharp, quiet reply. "If Naruto is suffering because of this, then it's not the best decision, is it? In any case, Gaara loves Naruto the same way I do--you know that. Naruto's like Gaara's big brother, it's obvious who Gaara needs." It took a lot for him to say these things: but he knew they were true, and he knew also that by admitting them, he was empowering himself to help _his _little brother immensely. "It doesn't matter to me what those people who took Gaara away think. If they were who he really needed, he would never have left them."

_Before...if he'd had someone to depend on, he could have been strong._

---

Kakashi had dissapeared back into the kitchen to make some calls, and Iruka had followed him after a few minutes. Sasuke remained on the couch, unable to move without waking Naruto, and let the silence grow, stretching out across the room.

_Why can't it ever just be peaceful?_

He was the luckiest person alive to have Naruto; Naruto was the best friend he could ask for, the one who opened a lot of doors and never shut a single one. He was always ready to help, always screwing up and trying to make things right again. He wasn't the cleverest, or the strongest, but he had something unique. He was like a butterfly; people just kept trying to pin him down, but no one had managed yet.

There were a lot of hardships to living with Naruto; Naruto's disease for one thing, that constant fear that too much play could be fatal. His impulsive mischeviousness, his headstrong rebellion--after awhile such annoying traits became endearing qualities.

Iruka would never leave Naruto; Naruto was precious to him, of the utmost and highest importance. Sasuke knew Iruka was devoted to him as well as to Naruto, but he wasn't going to try to pretend the doctor didn't worry more for the blond; it was to be expected, after several years of forming a mutual trust, of conflict and strife. Sasuke did believe, however, that with time he, too, could be as devoted to Naruto.

_I'm still so selfish._

Even now, he was plotting, trying to scheme Gaara away from his biological family. Was it really the right thing? Gaara was just a kid, he needed affection, attention, love...he needed people to look out for him, help him grow up right, teach him right and wrong...

Naruto shifted, moving his head slightly so that his blond hair tickled Sasuke's forearm. Sasuke moved the imposing limb away and Naruto relaxed again, comfortable once more. He shook himself; of course he was in the right. Naruto needed Gaara--that was all that counted.

A few minutes passed; Sasuke felt his eyelids begin to droop. And then Naruto whispered, "...Sasuke?"

Surprised, the brunet glanced down quickly; sure enough, Naruto's too-blue eyes were wide open and staring at him unwaveringly. "How long have you been awake?" the former Uchiha asked, shocked.

"Eh...I've been drifting in and out for awhile," the blond said, sitting up and rubbing at his eyes, teary and warm with sleep. "What's wrong? You seem distracted."

Sasuke glanced at him; he wasn't shocked by the fox-boy's normal tone, his easy, steady conversation. Naruto always talked calmly with Sasuke, he almost never lost his cool when it was just the two of them. The blow-up at dinner was something that rarely occurred, but it was for that reason that Sasuke had been so startled. Now, however, he glanced away, smiling vaguely.

"I'm just thinkin'," he replied quietly. "Y'know, I don't think Kakashi and Dad are gonna be much help."

"Kakashi-sir...? Oh, he can't find Gaara's folks..." Naruto trailed off a little hesitantly, and Sasuke looked round at him. Naruto met his gaze uncertainly, and Sasuke forced himself not to blink. It was Naruto who dropped his gaze. "I think...I remember back before Dad brought me to the hospital, when I used to kinda wander around with Kyuubi, Gaara would always sit on the same swing in the same park at the same time each day." Naruto gazed now at the ceiling, frowning as he tried to recall such a vague memory. "I don't remember exactly what time, but it was always before lunch, because I'd see him when I was going to Cook's, and I'd miss him coming back."

Sasuke shot up. "You mean you know where that park is?!" he asked excitedly, leaning in close to Naruto as though the latter were about to share some ancient, Godly wisdom. "Why didn't you mention this earlier?!"

"...Sasuke didn't seem to like Gaara..." The words were mumbled. "I didn't know if you'd want me to tell you or not."

The obsidian-eyed winced, and averted his gaze. Then he sighed, deflating completely. "Of course I'd want you to tell me, idiot," he said, standing and gripping Naruto's wrist to haul him to his feet. "Gaara's family, right? Family's got to stick together." He shut his eyes, smiling hugely at his younger brother.

Naruto stared at him for a few moments before smiling as well, one that started small, then grew across his face, and he cheered enthusiastically, "Right!" He turned towards the hall. "I'll call the others--"

"Ah...Naruto, don't," Sasuke said, sliding inbetween the boy and the door. "You know better than I do how dangerous the streets can be."

"Oh, yeah..." Naruto frowned to himself for a moment. "But we should take Lee. And Kiba, too. And Shikamaru."

"How come?"

"Well, not only is Lee awesome in a brawl, Gaara really trusts him, too. And Kiba's got great reflexes, not to mention Akamaru and Kyuubi make an awesome tag-team. And Shikamaru's just...smart. He can tell us how to go about the wrong stuff the right way, and come out of it unscathed." Naruto smiled, pleased with his deduction. Sasuke found himself nodding in agreement.

"Right. Good call. Now, call Kyuubi and we'll go."

"Dad and Kakashi-sir aren't going to be in on this are they?"

"Of course not. They'll just try to stop us. This is, after all, techinically kidnapping."

"Good. We don't need them hanging around. Adults are useless when it matters."

---

Their's wasn't a complicated family history. How it came about wasn't entirely odd either. The mother and father had connections--_a lot _of connections--pretty much everywhere in New York. They worked the trade; stuff normal folk tried to pretend didn't exist. A lot of their clients weren't American; but as long as the currency was, they didn't care at all. They didn't tell their children much about their jobs, and their children didn't care; who would? A luxurious life of having every heart's desire at your beckon call, of knowing you'd be set for life no matter what were to happen to you, of eating the finest meals, wearing the finest clothes...

The youngest child wasn't as easily appeased; he would sit in his huge playroom by the window, and stare down at the children running to school together, waiting for his private tutor to arrive. He would ask maids or the butler when he could see his mommy or daddy, and they all put the young master at ease. "You'll see them at supper", they always told him. Supper would come and go, the master of the household choosing to dine in his office rather than with his family; and the mistress would usually be too sick to move far from her bed. The two elder siblings were indifferent; the youngest wasn't. He ventured always towards his mother's room, but was turned away by house staff repeatedly.

But the one day his tutor was sick, he managed to slip away from the distracted woman in charge of him and charged straight to his mother's room, intent on entering. He gripped the handle, unallowing for any hesitation, and threw the door open wide. Light fell in shafts across the floor and bedframe, and someone covered by the down comforter shifted, making muted noises of discomfort. The boy caught himself, sliding the door closed, and made his way slowly to the bed. "Mother?" he asked softly, voice trembling. "Mother..." And she turned her head towards him; he inhaled sharply, clutching tightly to his teddy bear. Her face was pale, thin, and she had dark circles under her eyes; her hair, done up so prettily at one time, lay curled about her neck and collar bone limply. However...her eyes were the same; beautiful in the way they shone, softening with the fathomless measure of love for her child. She held a delicate hand out to him, petal soft and just as fragile, and whispered his name softly, voice velvet. He went to her, crawling into the bed beside her, nestling into her warmth. Her arms circled about him and she held him, whispering to him softly words of comfort, of love, mouth so close her lips brushed his ear slightly. He smiled, proud of himself for finding his mother, incredibly happy to just be with her.

Someone came in, tried to pry him away; his mother's arms tightened around him and she levered herself up slowly, ever so slowly. And she looked the man straight in the eye, said calmly, "Do not touch my son," in a voice neither her son nor the butler had ever heard her use. The butler left quietly; the boy felt safe and secure in a way he never had before.

Hours later, when he woke up, his mother's warmth was gone, her eyes were no longer warm, and her arms were stiff around him.

At the funeral, the little boy wept openly, wailing loudly, shamelessly shedding tear after tear; shocked, unpleasantly awakened to find the world knocking on their door, his brother and sister knelt at his side, stroking his hair, hugging his shoulders, trying to calm him down. Their efforts were in vain; but it was no surprise to them, since they had had little-to-nil contact with one another beforehand.

They rose Hell about it later; screaming and cursing, using profanity the likes of which the little boy had never heard. They were disowned. They left without a glance back, cursing their family name; their one regret was leaving their little brother behind. This of course left the boy as the single heir of his father's wealth; over the years, his father decided him to be too dangerous--too smart, uneasily cowed, completely disapproving, even at such a young age, of his father's trade--and hired someone to do him in: he was a danger to the buisness and had to be done away with.

His sister found out from one of _her _connections inside the main house; she and her brother spirited their younger brother out of the estate before any harm could befall him.

Not that he cared; he was losing everything he'd ever had in life, losing everything he'd ever known, being thrown into a life of poverty from a life of wealth, with nothing but the clothes on his back, two siblings he'd never had much contact with before anyway, and his teddy bear...

...but he had never so much as smiled since the day his mother died.

---

"Temari!"

The blonde girl glanced up quickly from her paperback, startled. Her brother stood panting in the doorway, leaning on the doorframe for support as his chest heaved; behind him, the vaccuum lay abandoned in the middle of the hallway. "Kankuro? What's wrong?"

"Gaara's gone again!" he shouted, waving his arms dramatically. "And you know what day it is..." He trailed off, voice lowering to below a whisper.

Temari's fingers tightened a bit on the book. "Of course I do. It's the day mother died."

"It's _also _the day, one year later, that Dad swore he'd kill Gaara for endangering his job," Kankuro snarled, "and those are two _great _reasons for Gaara not to be running around alone right now."

Temari nodded, sliding her sweatshirt on. "We better go find him. But where could he be?"

"That's not important," Kankuro said, shaking down the sleeves of his hoodie. "What's important is finding him; we both know how persistent dad is--he's got money-hungry thugs at his back, waiting for him to throw them some cash, and they'll do anything for it--they're morally lax, and they _aren't _above killing children."

---

They pounded down the sidewalk in the rain, shoving past people who weren't quick enough to get out of their way, dodging angry purses swung at them by ruffled women, ignoring curses from men the shouldered past. "Dammit, Gaara," Sasuke heard Naruto hiss under his breath, "why couldn't you have chosen a park closer to our house to mope in?" Kyuubi ran swiftly at their feet, ears back, body low to the ground to give him a more streamlined run. After awhile, Sasuke felt himself trying to mimic the fox's run to the best of his abilites; arms down, hanging loose at either side, leaning forward over his feet slightly to take the weight of him off his legs--he was amazed at how much faster he was able to move after that. Naruto caught on in seconds, and shared a real laugh with the world for the first time in months.

Sasuke glanced at him sidelong, grinning; Naruto met his gaze, eyes vibrant with exhileration and excitement. And then they turned their attention back to what lay ahead, skirting more obstacles, intent on the park that resided only blocks away...

---

Gaara continued to swing lightly, the groove under the swing turned to thick, gooey mud. This was usually about the time he went home; but for some reason he just didn't want to move. He wanted to stay on this swing until someone came looking for him. He would sit there...he would sit there until someone found him. They would come to him, this time; he was interested to see just who cared.

Footsteps approached him from behind at a run; he blinked once, surprised, and turned around.

_"GAARA!"_

---

Sasuke started at Naruto's scream and nearly stumbled over his own feet, which wasn't wise considering he'd hit the ground hard (since he was running top-heavy) if he fell at all, and quickly followed Naruto's horrified gaze, feeling himself speed up without knowing why.

A familiar little redhead sat on a swing that had come to a gradual halt, was craning around to see someone fast approaching from behind him. Kyuubi snarled viciously, tearing forward, and Naruto followed at once, running as fast as gravity would allow. Sasuke found himself hanging back, staring at the huge stranger approaching the little boy in fear...he'd seen this kind of thing on the news, all the time...

A strange straining sound brought his eyes to his wrist...

The threads of his friendship bracelet, woven with such care, were untwining...

At the same time, Naruto's bracelet began to unravel as well...

The two bracelets snapped at the same time, the different-colored threads falling apart as they drifted slowly down to the muddy ground, the vibrant colors quickly being muddied by puddles they landed in, wet by the rain...

Sasuke's eyes widened; he glanced up slowly, in time to see Naruto reach the swing, just as a Jeep pulled onto the curb and into the park from the road, headed straight for the jungle-gym, past Sasuke with a roar.

_Everything...everything is coming apart..._

**It doesn't make much sense now, but it will, trust me. I swear. **-.- **This isn't yaoi, okay? I swear to Poseidon it's not yaoi. **

**I'll be updating GBTB and LoS tomorrow. Yay.**

**Please don't flame, I'm tired but I wanted to update because I haven't in several years, and I felt bad about that...**


	18. Part 18

**CAUTION: COMPLETE AND UTTER CRAP AHEAD. CONSIDER YOURSELVES WARNED. I'LL BE HIDING UNDER THIS DESK.**

_Broken Glass (Part 18)-_

_Never Forsaken_

Gaara's eyes widened upon hearing that painfully familiar voice scream out across the playground; the man bearing down upon him was forgotten as he turned his gaze slowly in the direction of the shout. Naruto tore across the merry-go-round, ducked under the slide; while Kyuubi, much smaller, thus, much faster, raced at Gaara's would-be attacker, who got a small furry mass of teeth and claws and fury in the face.

_"Gaara!" _

Gaara was yanked off the swing and into Naruto's arms; just as the Jeep (really, sometimes these kids are oblivious) roared to a stop beside them, narrowly avoiding smashing the two into the dirt. A teenage boy in a hoodie that said "Puppet" across the front and forest green cargo pants, dove out of the vehicle, into the air and spun, in time to smash the heel of his heavy combat boot into the face of the man in a violent, spinning, airborn kick. A blond girl with hair done up in four pigtails, wearing black wristwarmers and a zippered maroon sweatshirt, jumped down as well, seemingly unaware (or just uncaring) that mud splashed up onto her faded jeans.

Kyuubi, having moved out of the way in time to avoid a similar fate as the man currently under assault by the Puppet-guy, turned his attention to the blonde girl and snarled, showing all of his fangs. She glanced at him, appropriately chastised, but made her way to the two boys anyway. Sasuke reached them just as she yanked Gaara from Naruto; making no move whatsoever to stop his brother, he instead helped Naruto tackle the girl, successfully throwing her against the black Jeep.

Kankuro glanced up from the man he was pummeling, sporting a fresh cut under his right eye, and laughed loudly at his sister, who glared at him over the heads of the Uminos. "Wow, Temari," he sneered, folding his arms, "you're a real--" Whatever he was going to say was cut off by a book hitting him in the face, spine first; he stumbled backwards, "A real...real good aim." Knowing better than to let her book fall into the mud, he caught it and shoved it into his pocket, muttering about abusive sisters and federal laws, before he joined her and lifted Sasuke and Naruto off the ground with ease. Holding them apart from each other and letting them dangle, he said, "Hey, I recognize these two! They--" 

"Put him down." Kankuro broke off and stared at the boy in his wide-eyed sister's hold. Gaara glared at him, wiping mud off his face and struggling away from Temari. "Let them go."

There was a moment of tense silence; Kankuro didn't notice one boy twisting around, trying to free his shirt from Kankuro's grip, or the other gnawing furiously at Kankuro's wrist. Then Kankuro set them down, expecting them to resume their attack. Instead, the brunette crossed his arms and glared up at the older boy, and the blond turned to administering heartfelt and apologetic affections on Gaara's person (please don't be perverted, you _hentai. _You know who you are. -.o), who stared at him with the usual enigmatic expression. But when Naruto paused for breath, the redhead titled his head to one side in a questioning manner. Naruto blinked, then smiled hugely, eyes lighting up, as he accepted Gaara's offered hand. Sasuke, after a moment's hesitation, ruffled Gaara's hair.

"We were worried, moron," Sasuke drawled. "And there's no living with Naruto when he's worried."

"Not true!" Naruto shouted, glowering. "I wasn't--"

"You came." The quiet voice cut him off abruptly. Naruto blinked down at the redhead, who simply repeated those two words as if they held all the meaning in the world for him. "You came."

Something in Naruto's expression faltered, but his smile held. "'Course I came, Gaara."

_I would never abandon you._

Sasuke glanced at Gaara's guardians, eyes fierce and speculating.

_He doesn't..._

He referred his glance back at his brother, unrelated to him by blood.

_...deserve this._

His mind was made up, whether he liked it or not. Weighing the heavy words in his mind, Sasuke opened his mouth.

---

"LET GO OF ME, YOU PERVERT!"

Shikamaru held his face in one hand, conscious of all the eyes on their group, ashamed to let himself be seen with the thrashing, screaming youth. Said youth's dog was dangling from said pervert's wrist, gnawing ferociously to get said youth free. Also a little embarrased at the scene, a man they knew upon first glance to be Naruto's father rushed up to Kiba and extracted him from the bemused Kakashi's arms, where he had been dangling upside down.

"They told us to meet them at the park," Lee mused, looking put-out. "We have to go..."

"Yeah, goddammit!" Kiba yowled, trying to get away from Iruka this time. "Would you people quit touching me?!"

Iruka, the little patience he'd started with completely gone, straightened with ease and threw the stunned youth over one shoulder. "We need to find them," he said to the other two, who were paying a whole lot more respect and attention. "Did they say why they were headed to the park?" he asked, not really needing an answer.

"To steal Gaara from the people who stole him first," came the prompt reply. Iruka and Kakashi traded glances, then both stared at the children; who found nothing odd about what they just said. (Lee reached up and yanked Kiba down with surprising ease; Iruka blinked.)

"You know," Kakashi said, appealing to the kids' common sense, "that Gaara _does _belong with those people...And that if Naruto and Sasuke take him away from his brother and sister, it could be considered a kidnapping?" Iruka glanced at him sidelong, but his gaze wasn't returned.

"We don't care," Kiba said quietly.

"We'll get him back," came Lee's equally firm voice.

"He's ours now. We'll never abandon him." Shikamaru's voice was daring, his eyes testing, them to argue. All three of the boys seemed ready to pounce; and there wasn't a doubt in either of the men's mind that the three could each do some heavy damage. When neither adult seemed particularly interested in getting jumped by a few middle-schoolers, said -schoolers turned and started muttering amongst themselves.

"What do you think they're saying?" Kakashi leaned over to ask Iruka under his breath.

"I don't know," replied Iruka in the same fashion.

Both were equally ill-at-ease.

And then Lee was running at them, tackling Kakashi in a way that brought Iruka down, too; he had amazing speed for a kid his age, which meant a great momentum to bring both men to the ground. Which made it easy for Kiba and Shikamaru to get a headstart running away, Akamaru tucked safely in Kiba's shirt. If Iruka and Kakashi had any hopes of keeping Lee hostage, all were distinguished when Lee got up looking apologetic, muttered, "Sorry", and then dashed off faster than either doctor or careworker hoped to ever run in their lives.

There was a pause. Their audience dispursed. They sat there quietly. Then Kakashi chirped lightly, "That went wonderfully."

---

His cellphone rang; he cursed loudly and fluently, impressing his companions deeply. Withdrawing it from his pocket, he opened it with a flick of his wrist without bothering to see who it was and muttered, "I'm listening."

_"I've told you time and time again to answer the phone more politely."_

"Yes, mother, I know." He glared at Kiba when the boy snickered at him. "Is there something you need?"

_"Um...well...are you busy?"_

"...Sort of. Why?"

_"I..." _He was startled to hear his mother's voice break. _"I just don't want to be here alone right now, is all..."_

"What's wrong, mother?" he said, more urgently now. Lee punched Kiba on the shoulder (hard) to make him focus; the latter did so, rubbing his arm with teary eyes. "Are you hurt?" The woman on the phone _never_ cried; she was always so strong for him.

_"...Ah...no, I'm fine...But your...Shikamaru, sweety, your father just called."_

There was a strange roaring sound in his ears, and time seemed to come to a complete stop. Every nerve in his body _screamed _to run home as fast as he could, but his brain wouldn't function properly. After three years of no contact, the man who'd abandoned him, who had hurt his mother so badly, who had walked out on them both, was coming _back? _

"Shikamaru?" Lee asked quietly, nearing the child genius. "What's the matter?"

When an answer was not forthcoming, Kiba ventured, "What did your mom want?"

Shikamaru blinked once, twice; and then his eyelids slid halfway over his eyes in an expression anyone who didn't know him might take for bored or sleepy. But Lee actually took a step back and Kiba shivered while Akamaru whined softly; it was Shikamaru's evilest, craftiest, _hatefulest _(...) look--the one that _promised _pain, revenge or maybe even a mixture of both. The world trembled slightly at that moment...

"Would you guys mind finding Naruto without me?" he said quietly.

"Wh...Why?"

"This is important," Shikamaru replied softly. "Really. I wouldn't be abandoning either of you if it wasn't."

"We understand that much...but what--"

"Good. See you soon then, and don't get yourselves killed out there in the world on your own." And Shikamaru was walking away, dialing a new number, without a single backwards glance. "Chouji? Yeah, it's me...Where are you?"

---

_There was screaming from down the hall; both boys glanced up, wide-eyed. Another cry, followed by something shattering urged one boy to his feet. He glanced back at his companion and mouthed, 'Stay'. His companion glared at him and mouthed, 'No way'. The first boy shrugged and started for the door, closely followed by the second. He rushed down the hall, ready to find his parents and tell them he'd heard--_

_His mother, holding her arm, hit the wall with a crack and slid to the floor. His father stood before her, arm still raised._

_His friend gasped, the breath coming in strangled, sounding as though he was ready to scream; he absently reached back and put an arm around him, drawing his face away from the scene--even though all he wished was for something to hide his own view, someone to sheild him from the pain...He waited, trembling, holding the other boy, not realizing till a few seconds later they'd both sank to the ground. The man advanced upon the woman once more, and Shikamaru took his arms from around Chouji and told the boy to leave. When Chouji refused he bit back a scream of impatience and stood, stepped away--_

_He ran at the man, threw a clumsy punch; the man glanced at him, and Shikamaru felt himself go numb at how cold his expression was--none of the warm laughter in his eyes, no kind smile tugging at his lips. The man knocked him aside with ease. Shikamaru fell to his knees beside his mother, whom he had never seen cry before in his life...He wrapped his arms around her and held her, wishing he could help her with more than just his presence, do more for her than just be there; but he seemed to be enough. For all that she had looked so desolate and broken before, her arms were around him suddenly with a fierce strength he never could have guessed such a delicate woman might have. He heard an odd keening sound and realized he was sobbing, but he couldn't make himself stop. He didn't have to, apparently, because his mother was holding him close to her, whispering, "Shhh, shhh, it's alright, Shikamaru...No, stop crying...I'll keep you safe." _

_Everything he should have been telling her, she was telling him; it made him cry harder, grip the back of her shirt tightly._

_  
The man he'd always counted on...the person he thought he could always depend on...His father..._

_Suddenly, sirens were wailing outside, filling the room with light that swept across the walls, ceiling, surfaces in a dizzying rotation. Chouji was siloutted against the doorframe, cellphone clutched in his hand; an officer had an arm around him. Shikamaru felt a pang at seeing fresh tears on the boy's face by the odd reflections the light cast._

_His mother was glaring at the man, fear replaced by cool hatred; it wasn't the police that gave her the courage, it was (as incredulous as he was thinking it) Shikamaru who gave it, Shikamaru who made her whisper, "Good luck in court, dear." _

_And as the police dragged the man away and the paramedics knelt to examine them, she never once surrendered her son--never once did she let go, or falter in her steady refrain._

_"It's alright, Shikamaru. I'll always keep you safe. Please, no more tears."_

---

Three years ago. That had happened three years ago. They had never discussed what had happened; not him, his mother, or Chouji. They let it fade behind them, to the point of invisibility--but it still loomed the back of their minds, ready to spring out and captivate them with all the horrors of that night whenever they let their guards down.

Shikamaru never let his guard down.

After that night, he didn't let himself get close to anyone. He kept himself away--gravitated towards books and studies. He learned of how interesting the world was outside the boundries he'd set for himself. He drank it all in, page after page, book after book. He wanted to know _everything. _

He wanted to know everything about the world he'd been born into; within his lifetime, he wished to unravel secrets of the universe unknown to man for millennia.

But in doing so, he would venture out of the safe asylum of his mind; he would have to tred the world he so loved to study, and there was no way he would put himself in that danger. He blamed it all on lack of reason, said he had no motivation, nothing to go on. He got lazier, but never once did he slack off on his reading, or math. He loved solving problems in math and science; math was the one thing that never changed, always stayed the same--whereas science was always new and exciting. _He _could change science; he could make a world-shattering discovery to change the way people viewed the _Universe itself..._

But he wouldn't. He wouldn't step outside his haven. He would stay where it was safe; just outside the reach of danger, where nothing--no one--could ever hurt him.

He blinked, snapping out of his reverie. Chouji was waiting for him on the street corner, glancing down the street in the direction towards Shikamaru's house.

"Chouji," he called, stopping walking.

The boy glanced around when he heard his name, and his eyes brightened when they found Shikamaru; but then they darkened again and he made his way over to the child genius, awaiting some kind of command.

"Dad got out of jail."

"I heard."

"Yeah?"

Chouji held up his cellphone. "You're mom called me after you did with details you didn't quite catch."

Shikamaru remembered with a wince that he'd hung up on his mother. He felt more horrible about that then he should have... "Is she...?"

"You're mom's great," Chouji said with feeling. "She said that if that man tried to touch you again, or me, she'd disembowel him and then strangle him with his small intestine."

"Not a doubt in my mind," Shikamaru said, a light fluttery feeling of relief seeping through him. They hurried down the sidewalk.

"What were you doing down there?" Chouji asked after a few moments, yanking his head back in the direction opposite the way they were going.

"Gaara's people came and got him, Sasuke and Naruto conducted a two-man search-and-rescue, and we were supposed to be back-up," came the calm reply. "For dad to come back _now..." _He glared at the ground until he noticed Chouji's sidelong stare. "What?"

"Oh...nothing," Chouji smiled and turned his gaze forward. "Let's just get home--to your house, that is," because Chouji's home was Shikamaru's as well as his own, and vice versa, "to be there when he comes."

Something hard hit Shikamaru in the gut; when his gaze focused again, there was no one in front of him to have hit him like that, so he whispered, "What...?"

His friend blinked. "Shikamaru, you knew he would be coming back."

Yeah, he knew. He just wasn't quite ready to digest that information till his dad was walking through the door.

**-still cowering- I'm not coming out!**


	19. Part 19

**You people OWE me! This update is, like, huge! I spent half my **_**life **_**writing this! I deMAND gratitude! If you don't like it, keep it to yourself and go away! -runs off- **

_**"Only enemies speak the truth; friends and lovers lie endlessly, caught in a web of duty." -Stephen King**_

_Broken Glass (Part 19)-_

_What We Fight For_

He swung the front door open wide, Chouji a step behind him as he swept into the house. "Mother!" he called loudly, cupping his hands around his mouth. He just couldn't shake the feeling that something was very, very wrong. His call was met with silence; his swift pace became a run down the hall, and his voice grew more and more frantic. After the few minutes it took him to race down the hall, ducking into every room to see if it was empty, he trotted back into the kitchen to find Chouji staring at the fridge; he had to bite back an impatient remark, and instead trekked up behind him.

There was a small note taped to the refrigerator door; Chouji was a shade paler than normal when he stepped away to let Shikamaru read it.

_'Shika,_

_When you get here, I'll probably already have gone to meet your father._

_I know how scared you are of him, and I'm not going to put you through that._

_You're an intelligent kid--please act that way now._

_Since Chouji's probably with you, just follow him home. I'll be back by dinnertime. _

_Infinite XOXOXOs_

_Mommy'_

"That...!" He had an urge to rip the note from the fridge and crumple it up, like a normal person might have. But no, common sense told him otherwise. It'd be best to leave it untouched... "I can't believe she'd do something like this!" His brilliant mind was racing; _where might she go...? _His mind hopped from possibility to possibility, and soon he was lost in intricate spiderwebs of patterns he'd drawn from his deduction of where his mother might feel safe enough to meet at with his...that man.

A tap on the shoulder brought him reeling out of his thoughts, and he glanced at Chouji, almost glaring. Chouji, for his part, was unfazed.

"She knew I'd come with you, so she told you to follow me home," he said quietly, staring at the child genius like he was waiting for him to catch on. "She might have called him, and told him beforehand what was happening. You know they're close friends."

It came back on him like a bullet. Why hadn't he thought of that? Was his mind so crippled when he needed it the most? Was he simply not as bright as he thought he was? All those hours, days, _years _of toiling, studying, reading, _learning..._were they simply wasted?

"...Right," he said, managing to compose himself. "Good thinking. I--"

"You're just worried," Chouji said, voice gentle. "You're just afraid your mom is in danger--it's a natural reaction for your body to panic." He smiled. "Now let's go talk to my dad about finding your mom, 'kay?"

Shikamaru stared at him; a full, open stare. Was he always so...right? Leaving that for the moment, but making a mental note to go back for further speculation, he grabbed his friend's wrist and started out the door. "Let's go."

---

"It's not safe to stay here," Kankuro said for the thousandth time, almost pleadingly.

"We're not letting you have Gaara," Sasuke retorted firmly, arms crossed, head turned away and up in a "hmph!" pose...only much, much more dignified. Naruto snickered at Gaara's biological siblings, both of whom scowled at him.

"Do you not understand?" Temari's eyes were following the passers-by on the sidewalk outside the park, narrowing in what very well might have been paranoia. "That man that just attacked us? He was sent to _kill _Gaara, and he wouldn't have hesitated to kill either one of you!"

There was a pause; Naruto glanced up, realizing they were supposed to be affected by her words. "O-Oh...um..." He grinned, rubbing the back of his head. "It's not our first near-death experience and probably won't be our last. Me 'n' Sasuke don't like backing out of things, 'specially not if we've come so far. I've been kind of a wimp these past few days..." He chuckled apologetically. "I s'pose I'm trying to make up for it now. You shouldn't have come and taken Gaara away like you did."

He changed topic twice with no purpose; Sasuke glanced at him sidelong; another attack? But Naruto was absentmindedly stroking Kyuubi, who was, as always, perched on Naruto's shoulder, his ever-present lookout.

Throughout the entire exchange, Gaara was silent, staring ahead with a blank expression, and holding Naruto's hand with his own, a gesture that had become infamous.

And apparently, Kankuro was kind of an idiot, or just really, really smart, because he said shortly, "It seemed like the thing to do at the time." Sasuke had to appreciate his sense of priority, and respected him a bit for it; but not enough to cooperate. "Now we _really _need to get somewhere, and _fast--_our dad hates losing, and--"

A somewhat muffled rendition of popular rock song began to play; embarrassed, Sasuke dug into his pocket for the cell phone Iruka pressured them into using. Flipping it open, and turning away from Kankuro's enraged expression, he said casually, "Hello?...No, slow down...I can't understand you when you're talking so fast--"

Naruto, alerted by Sasuke's tone of voice, ventured closer, Gaara ever-present at his side. "Sasuke, what's...?"

"_You _talk to her," Sasuke said, thrusting their phone at him. Naruto frowned, but took it, and said uncertainly, "Hello?"

_"Oh, Naruto, thank God," _came Ino's highly-distressed voice. _"Shika and Cho just left, they're going to find Shika's mom!"_

"Wait, wait," Naruto said, stepping forward as he spoke like it would bring him closer to the situation at hand. Gaara was gazing up at him, pale blue eyes politely interested, "where's Shikamaru's mom?"

"_She went to meet his dad--oh, I don't have time to tell you everything now, please, just hurry--"_

Naruto's grip on the phone tightened. Shikamaru's dad... He didn't know the full story, but from the way Chouji tred lightly around the topic and Shikamaru shut himself up when it was broached, Mr. Nara probably hurt Shikamaru and his mother very much--thus, he wasn't someone Naruto would ever be willing to forgive. "Where?"

_"You know that old bridge near the dock? That's where they were headed--Oh, please, Naruto, hurry, I'm afraid--"_

"Ino, they'll be fine," the fox-boy assured her, "just stay...where are you, anyway?"

_"I'm at Sakura's, Chouji's dad called and asked me if they came here like they said they were," _Ino said, regathering enough of herself to sound a little insulted. _"They weren't of course."_

"Don't worry, we'll find them."

_"Please be careful!" _This was Sakura; apparently she'd taken the phone. _"Oh, and did you find Gaara?"_

It wasn't worth it to question how she knew; Shikamaru or Chouji had probably told Ino, who in turn told Sakura. "Yeah, he's here--"

_"That's great!"_

"Sakura," Naruto said gently, "if we're going to find them, we need to leave as soon as possible." He was trying to be subtle in telling her to say goodbye; she got the point, though, and told him and Sasuke both again to be safe, before hanging up. He flipped the cell phone shut and tossed it to Sasuke, who caught in deftly and shoved it in his pockets. Then Naruto turned to face Gaara's guardians, eyes set.

He folded his arms, Gaara moving his hand to grip the hem of Naruto's jacket. The blond opened his mouth and said firmly, "We need a ride." When Kankuro and Temari looked skeptical, Sasuke added, "Unless you want us to go traipsing around New York unprotected with Gaara."

They both twitched. The Uminos shared a triumph smirk, and Kyuubi barked his approval.

---

"So, this is where your parents met?" Chouji asked, glancing around the empty dock.

"Yeah," Shikamaru said distractedly, eyes on the murky depths of the ocean water a few yards away. "She got herself lost as usual, and wound up here. She said she always had a knack for finding her way to water. Like, rivers and stuff. She doesn't know why. But she was sitting on the railing, and these guys approached her. She'd've been done for if...Well, dad showed up and fought 'em all off, out of nowhere." A dry laugh escaped his lips before he could suppress it. "And mom was in dire need of a storybook prince."

Chouji smiled at nothing in particular. "My dad met my mom in high school, but they did start dating until college, when they found out they were taking the same classes. I wish I could've met her. Daddy says she was really pretty and couldn't cook to save her life."

Shikamaru frowned, reaching over to lay a hand on his friend's shoulder; whatever he might've said was interrupted by an angry man's voice somewhere nearby, followed by a woman's pleading cry

Chouji took a glance at his friend's face; Shikamaru's usually expressionless, bored expression had been replaced by one of primarily fear. Chouji had only seen him with that expression one other time...

And he'd only felt this burning _hate _one other time...

---

_"Chouji, back off!" The older boy shoved him back; Chouji stumbled and almost fell but managed to catch himself without crushing what lay cupped between his tightly clasped hands. "Quit barging in and ruining our fun!"_

_"I won't! As long as your fun involves torturing--"_

_"They're bugs," the older boy snarled, shoving him again, advancing upon him when he fell back a few steps. "They don't feel, and they don't matter; the world's not going to end when a few bugs die."_

_Chouji was ready to cry, which was what all the kids were waiting for. But he steeled himself, always careful not to crush the little life fluttering between his fingers, and shouted, "The world won't end when someone dies, but that doesn't make them unimportant!"_

_Like mom._

_-_

_When he got home, his father glanced at him and at once his eyes got sad. Chouji averted his gaze, ashamed to hurt his father. "Come on," the man said kindly, standing. "Tell me what happened while I clean you up."_

_It wasn't the first time he'd got beaten up; sometimes it was worse than a black eye and a split lip. He couldn't back, not because he wasn't able, but because he couldn't stand the thought of causing someone suffering, even if they deserved it. His father called it admirable; his peers called it cowardly._

_His father had been upset the first time it had happened, and, despite Chouji's reassurances that he was okay, called the school. The woman who answered the phone connected him with the principal, who told him in a very polite and respectful way that if his son couldn't fit in, the kids would continue to beat the tar out of him. Chouji's father had been furious, but there wasn't much else he could do other than patch up his son each time it happened and make sure the bruises healed. _

_As his father dabbed alcohol over the cut above his eye, Chouji watched the butterfly perched on his palm fan its wings lazily. By the time the small operation had been done, Chouji was clutching it in gentle fingers so it didn't take off around the room. His father opened the kitchen window and Chouji let it fly._

_"I have to ask, son," his dad said after a few moments. "Do you really think a few little insects are worth all this?" He gestured at the First Aid kit on the counter. Chouji blinked at him, and nodded with a grin. "Yeah. I do." He didn't explain that they meant so much to him; the sky was so foggy and clouded at night that he could never see the stars when he was little--so instead he watched the fireflies. He would chase them down and never manage to catch them. It seemed more fun that way._

_  
And dad was always there with him. His father worked a lot, but he always made sure to be home when Chouji came home. Other than a few hours in the afternoon, before bed and in the morning, Chouji hardly ever saw the man. He knew his father loved him, and the reason he was always gone was 'cos he had to work extra hard since he was a single parent raising a child, but... Chouji wished he had a dog, but following the logic of what he'd just said, that'd be a little unreasonable. He just got so lonely..._

_But despite it all, he was content; he could have been happier, but he was used to being alone at school, and it was worth it for a few hours at home, because the ones when his father was home were that great--they made up for it. He knew that he could always count on Daddy to be there, no matter what, if he needed him. Always._

_-_

_The fist connected with his cheek painfully and he staggered back. In his hands he clutched a frog; different from butterflies, but still--frogs were cute and alive and didn't deserve to be stabbed with sticks, just as much as butterflies didn't._

_"When will you butt out?!" was the general roar; "Quit spoiling everything!"_

_He got punched again; he never, ever let himself cry even though he got hit more for blank staring. If it's just a frog, why make such a big deal out of, he thought to himself, not daring say the words aloud. If it doesn't matter, let it go--that's what you tell me, why can't you follow your own logic?_

_And then, as if by magic, the words rang out, "Why not follow your own logic?"_

_For a crazy moment, Chouji was afraid he'd somehow uttered the words without meaning to; then common sense rushed back to meet him and he glanced around for the speaker. A boy with dark hair tied back in a tight ponytail, and dark eyes gleaming with an intelligence that was almost frightening, stepped forward, hands shoved in his pockets, looking thoroughly disgusted by what was happening._

_"Nara!" the boy closest to Chouji shouted, "What are you doing here? And what do you mean, "follow our own logic"?"_

_"I forgot, your idiots," the boy grumbled to himself, rubbing his forehead in an almost comical way. "Don't make such a big deal out of things you don't want others to make a big deal out of." He pointed at Chouji's quite frightened frog. "It's a frog. Not the end of the world."_

_"But we had it first!"_

_"And Chouji had it second," Shikamaru countered, voice even in an uninterested drawl. His posture was lazy, his expression careless. But his eyes... "How troublesome," he sighed, then added as an afterthought, "And leave him alone," pointed at Chouji, "the kid just wants to save a few bugs and a frog."_

_"Yeah, funny stuff for a kid who killed his mom," came the mutter from an unidentified source._

_Chouji froze, his entire body freezing up; there was a roaring in his ears, and his vision went kind of dull. Was that because he was crying? He dropped the frog and ran. _

_The boy who'd stepped in for him frowned, confused, and snatched up the frog before the other kids, all of whom had raced forward eagerly, could get their hands on it. _

_When Chouji came home crying, his father was deeply concerned. And when Chouji asked if it was true that he killed his mother, his dad pulled him into a hug and didn't let him go for several minutes; and when he did, he said, "No, Chouji; she'd wanted to have a kid for so long. You were the happiest moment of her life," and Chouji smiled--but it really wasn't much argument. The happiest thing in your life could kill you. Wasn't that what adults called irony?_

_-_

_He went back to school the next day to fight the ungoing struggle of existence and survival for bug-kind everywhere; so, yes, he was going back so he could get beat up some more. In an odd way, he was happy to be saving the insects, and now frogs, but since it was inevitable that that would come with bruises, it was like two-for-one, so he shouldn't have been happy about either. But how could he not be happy about saving little bugs, and now frogs? So, was he happy about getting beat up?_

_This was all very confusing..._

_"Oh, hey, it's you," came that somewhat familiar voice. "Nice shiner." Chouji blinked around. The boy who'd come to his rescue the day before was back, wearing knee-length shorts, a long T-shirt and high-top sneakers. _

_"Ah!" Chouji turned around quickly. "I never got to thank you the other day." _

_"Nah, they were being troublesome," the boy said with a careless shrug. "They had it coming."_

_Chouji sighed and said, "I love karma." He was surprised when the other boy chuckled softly. _

_"Karma _is _a good thing," he agreed, and then his smile fell. "But what they said was wrong. They had no right or reason to say that to anyone." It didn't take a genius (which Shikamaru was) to figure out what those jerks had been implying; and besides all that, it was obvious that Chouji was too sweet a kid to willingly, or even unwillingly, take a life._

_Chouji felt his cheerfulness fade away a bit as he remembered those words. "Oh..." he said quietly. "Well, Dad already said that it wasn't my fault..." Chouji couldn't help but make a face. "Cause I made her happy."_

_"Nah, that's not it," the boy said, rolling his eyes. "Babies just can't kill people. But babies are a mother's joy, so he wasn't lying when he said that. I'm Shikamaru." He held out his hand._

_"Chouji," he reached forward to accept it when the screech of a car nearby made him wince and turn around. If he hadn't, he would have noticed Shikamaru's face go several shades paler. A truck had pulled up to the curb, and a man lurched out of the driver's side, walking unsteadily. _

_"Shika," he slurred, eyes on Shikamaru, "c'mon, your mom told me to pick you up."_

_"He's been drinking again," Shikamaru said with a sigh, sounding so hurt and resigned that Chouji felt actual concern for him. He raised a hand in a farewell and trotted off. Chouji watched as the man hugged him tightly, saw Shikamaru's stern scowl ease into a smile. He was afraid, though; he'd seen all those commercials about drunk driving..._

_But then he saw Shikamaru tugging at his dad's sleeve earnestly, beckoning toward the sidewalk. The man frowned for a moment, clearly puzzled as to why his son wanted to walk when transportation via vehicle was available, but took his son's hand anyway and allowed himself to be led down the street._

_-_

_As the days rolled by, it got to a point where Chouji was actually expectant of Shikamaru to join him. Shikamaru had been coming to sit with him at the end of the day, outside in the grass, and the two would talk about nothing and everything, depending on their mood. Shikamaru was parent-pick-up, meaning he would wait for his father or mother (usually his mother, Chouji learned with some relief), to take him home. Chouji walked home, and he usually waited around until everyone else was gone until he did; less chance of confrontation._

_"So," Shikamaru said, plucking at a blade of grass, "what's your dad like?"_

_Chouji blinked; what kind of a question was that? "He's...dad-ish," was the best he could come up with. "You know, takes care of me and shows me neat stuff..."_

_"Neat stuff?" Shikamaru rolled over onto his stomach, interested. "Like what?"_

_"Um...like the difference between spiders and Daddy Long-Legs."_

_Shikamaru looked put-out. "That's not very interesting."_

_"Daddy told me that Daddy Long-Legs were very poisonous, but their mouths are so small, they can't bite anyone," Chouji continued. Shikamaru tilted his head. "And did you know butterflies can only see colors in reds, blues and yellows?" Shikamaru blinked. _

_"That's really weird."_

_"I know."_

_Shikamaru rolled back onto his back, eyes on the clouds. "Do you really talk to your dad that much?"_

_"Uh-huh," Chouji smiled. "When he's home, we talk about all sorts of stuff. I always want to make sure I tell him everything important right off, because I'll never know which time I see him will be the last."_

_-_

_Chouji didn't know what came over him that day. He really, truly, honestly-to-God didn't know. He was sitting in the grass, waiting for Shikamaru to come, cause they were both walking that day and had decided to walk together until they had to part ways. He noticed the boys group around something on the ground and sighed, moving over to join them. One minute it was just him, clutching a grasshopper and demanding it to be left alone, and then it was Shikamaru, standing between him and the boys that were ready to pound him...One of the boys shouted something, Chouji didn't catch it..._

_...And then Shikamaru was crying. Tears spilling from his eyes to run down his cheeks, leaving twin wet trails down his face. He bowed his head, face shadowed, and his shoulders shook silently as he hastily tried to wipe them all away with his sleeve. Chouji took a step forward, so he could peer into Shikamaru's face with wide, concerned eyes. _

_Shikamaru turned his face away._

_The boys hadn't been expecting such a reaction from the usually uncaring and enigmatic student; Shikamaru was always alone, indoors, reading a book. No one knew what it was that would really upset him...So this was like striking gold. They struck up a chant, "Stupid, stupid, stupid!"_

_Chouji was bewildered at how being called stupid was enough to bring the Invincible Shikamaru to tears, but at the moment didn't care. He knelt, letting the grasshopper leap from his hands, and then stood, turning on his heel as he rose to face the bullies. His mind was blank; he couldn't hear himself think. He didn't see Shikamaru glance up--_

_All he felt was rage.  
_

_He found the boy who'd said what he did to Shikamaru, unsurprised to find it was his own chief tormentor, and used his height; he was tall for his age, and now made himself larger than the boy who'd so often made Chouji's life a misery. He didn't say anything, only drew back his fist and then let it fly forward. _

_It got quiet. The boy picked himself up off the ground, breathing unsteadily. Then he brought a hand to his face, felt blood flowing from his nose--and started bawling. Chouji blinked, surprised. Then he took a few steps back, aware of all the eyes on him, and turned to face Shikamaru._

_  
"C'mon, we're going to my house," he said, taking Shikamaru's wrist. "We're going to my house."_

_Shikamaru didn't speak for awhile; when he did he told Chouji quietly, that being stupid was the same thing as having no knowledge, and having no knowledge meant someone was helpless, and being helpless was right next to being worthless. Chouji was a little amazed at his reasoning and told him so. He was called stupid all the time..._

_"Yeah," Shikamaru said quietly, "but I need to be smart. I mean, I'm never going to get into a college someday without a scholarship. I--" Chouji interrupted him by laughing; he doubled over on the sidewalk, giggling hysterically, and Shikamaru, bemused despite himself, tipped him over by nudging him with his foot. _

_"Y-Y-You're already th-thinking about college?" Chouji managed to gasp, staring up at him. "You're still a kid! We have time to spend until then." _

_"But, the commercials say it's never too early--"_

_"And most kids older than you are too preoccupied to start thinking about it, then, too," Chouji countered, reaching up to Shikamaru for a hand up. On his feet, he brushed off his shorts. "Really, have you spent a day outside in your life?" Shikamaru's silence gave him his answer; Chouji's eyes lit up and he chirped, "Then you're in luck! Daddy's off work today, so we're gonna work in the yard!" _

_"And I'm lucky...how?" Shikamaru was pale at the thought of _actual work. _Chouji laughed at him again, and this time he punched him in the shoulder. When Chouji yelped and rubbed his arm, Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "You know, I didn't think you had a punch like that in you," he noted as they walked._

_"I hardly hit him!" Chouji insisted. "He's such a baby. He's given me a bloody nose..." he counted on his fingers, "three times. I never cried then, so--"_

_"All bullies are cowards with a reputation and a lot of hype to live up to," Shikamaru said simply. "That's what my mom says anyway."_

_"I guess that is true," Chouji mused, "but not being a bully doesn't make you brave. All sorts of people can be cowards."_

_"Like kids who save bugs," Shikamaru teased, slouching lazily against a stop sign while the crossing guard woman moved out to stop the traffic for them. _

_"Or people who save the kids saving bugs," Chouji retorted, and Shikamaru scowled at him._

_"I'm not brave."_

_Chouji smiled, shutting his eyes and letting his head tip slightly to one side. "You're always brave to the person you're saving."_

_-_

_His father was glad to have Shikamaru, and welcomed him immediately into the cleaning troupe. Shikamaru responded with forced enthusiasm, glumly taking a trash bag and a pair of gardening gloves. Chouji led him to the backyard and he froze in his tracks in the doorway. Their backyard was _immense. _A towering weeping willow stood slightly to the far corner of the yard, its leafy branches hanging over almost the entire yard. Plants lined the bottom of the fences on all four sides, flowered vines crawling up the chain-link. There was a small running fountain to one side, and the yard itself was dim, light only just seeping through the leaves of the tree. The grass was lush, green, and kept at a comfortable length; Shikamaru knew this because the first thing he did was throw himself down on it. The atmosphere was cool, refreshed, and the lazy boy found himself grinning despite his absolute determination not to enjoy himself. _

_"C'mon, Shika," Chouji called, from where he and his father sat at the base of one of the fences, "help!"_

_The day passed surprisingly fast; Shikamaru found himself hauling trash bags full of weeds to the trashcans, being repeatedly poked by twigs and thorns sticking out of it; Chouji pointed out some honeysuckle, made him taste it. "It's sweet," he said, surprised, and Chouji nodded. There were plenty of flowers, thus plenty of bees and butterflies. A bird feeder hung on the fence in the thick of the plants, comforting the birds with its lack-of-human touch. _

_"This is really weird," Shikamaru commented as they all sat down with lemonade on the back porch table and chair set. "I mean..." He glanced at his cup. "Lemonade? Yard work? Birds flittering everywhere? Perfect shade, perfect weather?" He shook his head. "This is just...too..._perfect. _It can't be normal."_

_Chouji tilted his head. "How come?"_

_Shikamaru sighed, rubbing his neck. "It's like, this is just too good to be true. Like, it was set up or something by a movie director, and it's the scene of some cheesy second-rate film."_

_Chouji looked confused, but his dad laughed. "Is that how it seems? I assure you, our life isn't perfect." _

_The way Chouji's dad smiled at him made Shikamaru feel immensely foolish. "I didn't mean--I mean, I didn't say I thought--"_

_"No, I see what you're getting at," Chouji's dad assured him. "The reason the yard looks like this is mainly Chouji." Chouji waved proudly at Shikamaru, who raised one eyebrow. "Butterflies are attracted to the pollen in flowers," the man continued, "so Chouji reasoned that the more flowers we had, the more butterflies would come."  
_

_"Yeah, but there are bees, too," Shikamaru said, watching a bumblebee buzz over the flowers._

_"They don't bother you as long as you don't squirt them with a squirt gun." Chouji said this so confidently, Shikamaru had to smother a snicker; it was obviously first-hand experience that led to that knowledge. Then he nearly choked on his lemonade._

_"I forgot to call my mom!" he yelping, jumping up. "She's gonna kill me!"_

_Chouji's father stood, beckoning the boys inside. "It is getting late," he agreed, closing the door behind them. He pointed Shikamaru to the phone over the kitchen counter, and then went to wash up in the bathroom. As Shikamaru punched the numbers in, Chouji hoisted himself onto the counter beside him and swung his legs. "Welllll?" he intoned, kind of swaying back and forth, "You _did _have fun, didn't you?"_

_Shikamaru made a face at him, and was saved from answering when his mom picked up. "Hello?" The woman's voice was breathless. She is worried, Shikamaru thought ruefully, then said, "Mom, it's--"_

_"SHIKAMARU!" He held the phone away from his ear with a wince. He saw Chouji cringe a bit, and widen his eyes. "WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?! I'VE BEEN WORRIED SICK ABOUT YOU! SCHOOL LET OUT _FOUR HOURS AGO!"

_"Mom! Mother! Calm down! I need you to breathe for me, 'kay?" Shikamaru rubbed his eyes with a sigh. "Troublesome..."_

_"Don't you dare call your mother troublesome! Where did you get that word, anyway?!"_

_God, he thought, then continued, "I walked to Chouji's house..." Then, realizing she'd have no clue who Chouji was, continued, "Chouji's a friend of mine, I met him at school."_

_There was silence on the other end. "Oh...I see," his mom said, sounding much warmer now. Shikamaru face-palmed. "Well, where does this friend of yours live?" When Shikamaru glanced at Chouji, Chouji gestured for the phone. He handed it over and Chouji chirped, "Hello, Mrs. Nara!" in a perfectly polite tone; Shikamaru relaxed slowly against a wall--his mother was in good hands. With him on the phone, she probably won't even ground me, Shikamaru thought wryly, watching Chouji give directions to his house in his cheerful manner._

_"Here ya go," Chouji said, handing the phone back to Chouji, "she said to put you back on."_

_Uh oh... He took the phone tenderly, and muttered, "...Hello?"_

_"I'll be over in a few minutes; and don't think I bought that cutesy little act, either, I want to see his father to get this mess straightened out."_

_RAGE! "It wasn't an act, mama! And there's no mess! I forgot to call you, what's the big deal?"_

_Chouji's father had entered the room some time with a wash cloth, and as he helped Chouji wipe off a lot of the dirt from his face, he was watching Shikamaru bemusedly. "Tell your mother I'd be glad to meet her," he said, rinsing the wash cloth out in the kitchen sink. _

_  
"He said he'd be glad to meet you," Shikamaru mumbled, mortified at how this was turning out._

_"I get to meet your mom?" Chouji sounded thrilled. Good Lord, Shikamaru thought dryly._

_When his mother got there, they were watching a cartoon on a VHS; and despite it's cartoon-y cheesiness, Shikamaru actually felt himself enjoying it. Though, it may have had something to do with the pleasant atmosphere...there seemed to be a lot of that around here...Chouji was sitting on the floor with him, and his dad was in the recliner. He was reading a newspaper or something, either, he was actually _watching _it with them. That in itself was amazing._

_When she knocked on the door, Shikamaru stood up very, very reluctantly. This was so freakish; like a trip to a dreamworld, where the little family was absolutely perfect. Like some modernized pioneer days, where the family spent time together..._

_"Hey, mom," he said, glad to see her even under the circumstances. He hugged her back when she threw her arms around him, and held on for an extra moment. Why didn't he hug her anymore? _

_"Hello, I'm Shikamaru's mother," she said, holding a hand out in a most businesslike fashion, "Yoshino Nara." Shikamaru face-palmed again._

_Still bemused, Chouji's father humored her by shaking her hand good-naturedly, "I'm Chouji's father, Choza Akimichi. I'm sorry about all this, I should've made sure he called you."  
_

_"Oh, but you had no way of knowing he was supposed to!" Now that she was certain the man looking after Shikamaru was intelligent and polite, she was gushing her own apologies. Shikamaru vaguely considered several reasons why he didn't hug her anymore, and stepped away. Chouji giggled at him, and he scowled in reply. "Ah, and that's Chouji?" She smiled at the boy who grinned back._

_"Yup," he said, beaming like she'd handed him the key to the city. "I met Shikamaru a few weeks ago. I've been wanting him to come over for so long, and since Dad was gonna be home today, and Shikamaru was walking home today, too, I figured it was perfect! I hope he's not in trouble..."_

_"Oh, he might be in a little," she said, looking sternly at her son, who yelled, "I'm sorry I forgot!" "Thanks again for taking care of him," she said, and Choza smiled, nodding. "It was my pleasure."_

_When she turned out the door, Shikamaru was about to say goodbye to Chouji when the boy muttered, "My face hurts from smiling..."_

_HAH! So it WAS an act to fool my mom! Good Lord...He's..._evil..._"Seeya, Cho," he said, lifting a hand carelessly. "Thanks for the invite."_

_"Uh-huh. G'bye!"_

_When Shikamaru climbed into the car, toning his mother's voice out, he heard Chouji call his name from the porch. Rolling his window down halfway so he could hear him; Chouji shouted, "Fireflies!"_

_Shikamaru blinked; sure enough, tiny little glows lit up and faded again and again in shifting patterns in Chouji's yard; and in the yard next door...and even in the street. He blinked, finding himself amazed at how he could have missed them. _

_He wondered how he could have missed a lot of things._

_'Do you really talk to your dad that much?'_

_'When he's home, we talk about all sorts of stuff. I always want to make sure I tell him everything important right off, because I'll never know which time I see him will be the last.'_

_"Hey mom?"_

_"Yes, Shikamaru?" She sounded tired._

_"Did you know butterflies can only see in blues, yellows and reds?"_

_---_

"Why'd we stop here?" Sasuke asked as Naruto crawled over him to fall out the door of the Jeep in a very ungraceful manner. "I thought we had to go find Shikamaru and Chouji."

"We do," Naruto said, brushing himself off, and lunging forward to catch Gaara, who'd tried to execute the same fall Naruto had. "But we'll need some reinforcements."

The way he said reinforcements with that evil grin on his face, made not only Sasuke, but Kankuro and Temari go pale. "What _kind,_" Kankuro said slowly, "of reinforcements? And what is this place, anyway?"

"Sasuke, remember that phone call I just made?" Sasuke nodded. "I called Cook--he said _Temujin _was here!" Naruto looked utterly thrilled. "I haven't seen Temujin in _years!_ And he's here!" He did a happy little dance. "He'll help us for sure!"

"One person is our reinforcement?" Temari asked dryly.

Naruto blinked at her. "I didn't say that." Ignoring her uncomprehending scowl, he continued, "Sasuke--call Shino, Kiba, Lee and Neji. I'll get the gang; Temari, Kankuro--just who exactly is after Gaara?" He said it like he had some vague idea, and he didn't want to be right.

"Um, Gaara's dad? He's a real wacko." Temari's grip on the steering wheel tightened. "He's hired thirty men to take out Gaara _at once _before. You know how hard it was to keep him safe?"

"But you did," Sasuke pointed out. Both Gaara's guardians blinked. "Anyway--Naruto, what does that matter?"

"I've got the feeling..." Naruto frowned, shoving his hands in his pockets in a way he hadn't done since Sasuke had met him. "I've got the feeling that a lot of things are about to go wrong is all. Okay, Temari, Kankuro, you take Gaara--Sasuke, with them or me?"

Sasuke opened his mouth quickly, then closed it. After a moment he said, "With them. I'll look after Gaara." And Naruto smiled at him; obviously he'd made the right choice. "But how are you gonna get there?"

"Don't worry, Temujin'll get me there," he said. "Sasuke..." He struggled with something for a moment, then muttered, looking down, "What place did you say your brother worked for?"

Sasuke blinked, taken aback by the question. "Er, Akatsuki Industries or something, I think..."

Those blue eyes were fathomless when Naruto stared up at him. "Was he good at his job?"

"Before...Well, he always used to say he was," Sasuke said, sounding confused. "Like, he kept getting promotions and stuff..."

Now Naruto was looking at Kankuro. "How many companies did you say your dad owned?"

"I didn't," the older boy said. "He owns quite a few. He owns pretty much...every..." Now Kankuro was turning back to face Sasuke. "A...Are you Sasuke _Uchiha?!"_

"I...I don't..." Sasuke seemed perplexed at where all this was going.

"I thought you said your last name was Umino!" Temari yelled, glancing from Naruto to Sasuke.

"It _is!" _Naruto snapped. "We were both adopted by the same man. Now listen. It's obvious your dad was desperate to get to Gaara before, and now he's pretty much only chasing after him to prove he'll always get what he wants, right?" Fervent nods; Sasuke just kind of blinked. "He cares enough to help a high-class murderer get out of jail, by hook or crook, right?" Pause; nods; blink. "And if he knew that one of his previous employees was a class-A assassin, he wouldn't hesitate to do that, right?" Slower nods. Sasuke froze, catching on. "So _that _means, it's _highly possible _that Itachi Uchiha is--"

"_What?!"_

---

Lee trotted inside, pulling his coat off. "Uncle?" he called into the house. "Uncle Gai! I am home!" He grinned when a black-haired man stepped into the living room from the kitchen, and skipped forward to hug him. "And how was your day, Lee?" his uncle asked, sitting down. Lee knelt on the floor in front of him, erect.

"Horrible, Uncle!" he said at once. "Gaara was kidnapped from Sasuke and Naruto by his family!"

His uncle was equally horrified. "Those fiends!"

"Yes," Lee nodded enthusiastically. "And Naruto called us to help him! It was myself, Kiba and Shikamaru! We had succeeded in getting away from the people who wanted to stop us, but Shikamaru suddenly got a phone call and sounded really worried and had to go..." Lee looked put-out, and kind of slumped. "And since he was the only one of us with a cell-phone, and there was no point in hanging around an empty park, we all went home..."

Gai clapped his shoulder. "Do not worry, Lee! I have the feeling that--"

The phone rang.

"Ahh..." Gai brightened immediately. "It must be a sign! Give a youthful prayer, Lee!" Gai rushed up to answer the phone as Lee obediently stood in a silent salute, eyes closed in a much more serious thought that went out to his friends...

_I hope they are all okay..._

When they (he, Neji and TenTen) met them, none of them expected to be so involved in such..._madness. _They were reasonably obedient children, didn't fool much (when one hung with Neji, one _didn't _fool), and pretty much kept to themselves. Lee was always a bit..._clingy. _He tried not to be...but it was during those times that he felt so lonely and cold inside, and no amount of hot chocolate or blankets would help. His friends understood; it was when he got extremely noisy and altogether too excitable that Neji would reach forward and grab his shoulder, staring at him with those pale eyes. And that was usually when he'd start to cry. TenTen would smother him in hugs, and Neji would just be there. They both knew just their presence helped. And they each had moments, too; when TenTen got too helpful, too eager-to-please and apologetic, when Neji got suddenly clumsy and unable to walk straight...They needed to be together, then. It was a shaky calm, but a calm nonetheless, and they all welcomed it, held onto whatever order and peace they could, clung to it desperately...

So why on Earth did he feel like he'd do anything for the people he'd met only just recently? Already, he loved his new friends as much as he loved TenTen and Neji--almost as much as he loved his Uncle Gai...

And with the love, concern...came a fiery _hate _for anyone trying to hurt his friends. An absolute loathing for anyone who would try to take them away.

"Lee!" Lee snapped his head up with a "yes, sir?" but Gai was gesturing that he come take the phone with an urgency that frightened him into an even more immediate obedience than usual.

"Hello?" he breathed into receiver, clutching it. "S-Sasuke! You got Gaara? Oh, I am so sorry, we were all going to...What?" Lee's eyes widened, and when he started shaking, Gai reached over and settled an arm on his shoulders. "...I understand. Yes. I will be there. Yes, you can count on it." He hung up, and didn't move for a moment. When he did, he turned to face his uncle with a pair of frightened and equally determined dark eyes. "They are in trouble," he said quietly. "Big trouble, Uncle. Someone...could get hurt."

His uncle watched him carefully for a moment. He knew as well as Neji when Lee was at that fragile state--and lately, his breaking point had been getting smaller, smaller...He was becoming less unstable. Gai had often told him that his was a spirit not easily broken; it was true. And now Lee seemed ready to explode, but not in the usual way. He was angry, he was ready--he was unbreakable. "I'm going, Uncle," he said. "You cannot stop me."

Any other adult might have locked their child in his or her room and not allowed him to move from the house, calling the police to get the mess straightened out properly. Gai, however, knew what Lee was capable of; he was no where _near _ready to handle anything serious, of course...But he'd have his friends. And from what Lee had told him about his classmates, they'd be one Hell of an obstacle together...

"Go, Lee," he said firmly, clapping a hand on Lee's shoulder. "But I'm trusting you to trust yourself. Understand?"

Lee didn't, but he nodded. "Yes, sir," he said with another salute, and then he raced out the door again, grabbing his coat on the way out; when the door slammed, Gai stood watching it for a moment, before turning away with a silent prayer of his own.

---

"Neji!" The slender woman leaned out of the kitchen, holding the phone's mouth-piece to her shoulder. "You have a phone call, dear." The boy blinked at her, standing and striding to accept the cordless with his usual catlike grace.

"Hello?" he asked, sitting back down on the couch beside TenTen.

_"Neji!" _It was Sasuke's voice on the other end. _"Thank God you're home--listen, something big's about to go down."_

Neji frowned. It was unlike Sasuke to become so flustered; so the pale boy said quietly, "How big is this something?"

_"Shikamaru's dad came back," _came the slightly subdued reply, and Neji felt himself tense up at once.

He'd always held a certain loathing against Shikamaru's father; how could any man betray his family like that? He, himself, didn't have a father--his father had been killed overseas three months before he was born. His father had been a brave soldier, he was told. He wished he could have met him. There was an old photo of him hanging up in the hall; an arm around his wife, laughing at whoever was behind the camera, his hat cocked to one side.

Shikamaru's dad hadn't died; Shikamaru's dad had _left. _He'd left Shikamaru to suffer the same cold, empty feeling Neji had to endure on nights when his dad wouldn't just get out of his mind. Shikamaru's father had left him to wonder how life might have been different if his family wasn't broken apart; how things might've happened differently, or not at all...

Neji's grip on the phone tightened. "I see."

"_That's not the only problem--Gaara's got some baddies after him, too. M...Maybe..." _Neji waited patiently for Sasuke to gather his words. _"My brother could be the one after him."_

Itachi Uchiha...The one who'd caused Sasuke so much suffering--the one who'd not only destroyed Sasuke's father, but also his mother, uncles, aunts...Neji didn't know what he'd do if anything were to happen to his mother. She was all he had left, and he needed her. But for Sasuke to lose all he had in a single night, to a person he'd grown up with, thought he could trust...Neji bristled silently.

Now the bastard was after Gaara.

"Are we meeting anywhere?" he asked softly, eyes furious. TenTen was watching him with avid concern, leaning forward to gauge his expression.

_"Thank you, Neji,_" Sasuke said; Neji heard the genuine warmth behind the simple sentiment and smiled slightly. "_Shikamaru and Chouji are at the dock. I'm betting their going to confront Shikamaru's dad--his mom went to meet him alone, apparently."_

Now Shikamaru's father was trying to take his mother away from him, too?

"I'll be there soon." He took the phone from his ear and pressed End. The called ended, and he set it on the coffee table. "Mother," he called, walking a few steps into the hallway. She appeared out of the kitchen again, wiping her hands on her apron.

"Yes, dear?"

"I'm going to meet some friends," he told her, gazing at her with liquid lavender eyes. "I might by spending the night--is that okay?"

She smiled, tilting her head to one side. "And whose house will this be at?"

"Lee's," he said without hesitation. If he knew Sasuke, Lee was going to be, or had already been, called to go to this rendezvous as well; and if he knew Gai, the man would cover for them.

"Ah, in that case," she held up a finger, and disappeared inside the kitchen again. Neji waited with what seemed like all the patience in the world. When she came back, she had a small plastic container with some brownies in it. "Here you go," she smiled at him.

He reached out slowly to accept them, knowing how much it would hurt her to learn he'd lied to her.

"Is TenTen going with you, too?" she asked.

Neji didn't even have to think about it. "No. It's boys only," he offered the smallest of grins when he said this, and his mother laughed, stroking a few strands of his long hair back from his face. "Well, in that case," she said, "TenTen and I will just have to throw a girls only party over here."

She was teasing him, but Neji leaped at the offer to have all his female friends safely under one roof. "I think TenTen would enjoy that," he said, nodding, "and maybe you could get to meet their mothers, too."

She blinked, taken aback that he'd taken the offer as a serious one, but then looked thoughtful. "That's not a bad idea, Neji," she said, then, "I think I'll do that. Run along now so you're not late."

"Yes, mother." He strode back to where TenTen was waiting for him on the couch. He set the brownies on the coffee table so he could make off without them and make it seem like an accident, before he said quietly, "I have to go."

Her luminescent brown eyes found his pale ones and held them. "Will you be okay?" she asked him quietly.

"It's just a party." He was near freedom, now, headed toward the door. His hand had just touched the handle when his mother called out, "Neji!" He froze, wondering what possibly the matter could be this time, and turned around. "Be safe out there, alright?" She smiled at him as she said it, drying her hands on a dishtowel.

The words sent an ache through him. It would break her heart if he died. _All the more reason not to,_ he reasoned silently, and said aloud, "Of course."

---

Kiba pounded on Shino's door shamelessly, until Shino's father opened it. "You again," the man said vaguely, and Kiba slipped past him, into the house. "Shino!" he called, rushing around the house clumsily, weaving around the expensive furniture. "Dammit, Shino! C'mon, this is seriously important!" He rushed to the back door and threw it open. A quick scan of the backyard proved it was empty. Snarling silently, the boy tucked Akamaru into his shirt and jumped up to grab the lowest limb the single tree in the backyard had to offer. Hauling himself up, he quickly scaled the tree; edging out along a high branch expertly, he gazed over the small gap of air between leaves and the roof, and saw his friend.

"_Shino! _What the _hell, _man! When Sasuke called me he said you didn't answer your cell!" Kiba was ready to pounce over to the roof, but Shino shook his head, standing. Kiba backed off to the trunk, finding a comfortable perch. When Shino executed a lithe jump onto the branch and sat down with him, Kiba snapped, "Dude, this is serious! I got a call from Sasuke, and he said serious shit's about to go down, man."

Shino glanced at him, somehow managing to incorporate a question with the look even behind his dark glasses. Kiba caught it--how, the world simply won't know--and continued, "Someone's after Gaara, and Shikamaru's mom's in trouble!"

And from those words, Shino knew three things immediately:

One; Naruto and Sasuke had, in fact, reached Gaara. That was good; one less thing to worry about.

Two; Kiba knowing that Shikamaru's mother was in danger must have meant that Sasuke had told him; thus, Sasuke and Naruto were planning on doing something about it.

Three; several of his friends were in harm's way, or getting there, and he was at home in a tree thinking about it.

He started the descent, hearing Kiba move to follow. At the lowest branch, he dropped to the ground, landing on his feet and staggering slightly. He didn't need to look back to know that Kiba had landed in the perfect animal-like crouch, and was right behind him. They went inside, past Shino's father, who was idly reading the news online on his laptop at the kitchen counter, and out the front door.

"I've said it before, man, but I'm gonna say it again," Kiba said quietly as they rushed down the sidewalk. "I hate your parents."

Shino should've felt some anger at those words, but he didn't. All he felt was a vague agreement. His parents were never around, though; he didn't know them well enough to say he hated them. He just couldn't love them. They had never been there for him; all those parent-teacher meetings, waiting for one of them to show up before the teacher finally sighed and led him out the door. All the school activities they were supposed to enjoy with him, turned into a solo act starring only himself. He began to hide himself away; high-collar shirts, dark glasses. He packed his voice away.

Then he met Kiba. The boy had pretty much forced himself into Shino's life, and there was nothing much Shino could say about it. They met on accident; some kids were teasing Shino because he didn't talk, and Kiba happened to be walking by, completely unaware of what was going on; basically, long story short, Kiba tripped over a chair leg and sprawled into the miniature-bullies. Then, when he realized what they were doing, made a frightening, animalistic expression of absolute rage; his lips pulled back over his oddly sharp teeth and a silent snarl built up in his throat. At that moment, Shino had felt himself go rigid in his chair; of course, the wanna-be bullies fled the scene.

After that, Kiba had trailed him relentlessly. They met Hinata later; saving her from people who looked down on her for being as timid and shy as he was. Kiba hauled their "pathetic lame-asses" away and Shino set to comforting the girl.

Given a few days, they were inseparable.

Shino smiled at the thought; their's wasn't as great a tale as the others' were, but it was still the most important memory he had, and he treasured it. He wanted to make more; with Hinata, and Kiba and all the others. He wanted to build up his voice again, so he could thank all his friends for being his friends; no, for being his replacement family. He wanted to muster the courage to speak out _once, _if only to thank them.

"You ready?" he asked Kiba quietly.

Akamaru yipped, and Kiba ground out a grin. "Let's go."

**A/N: A little rushed near the end, I know... Okay, the next chapter will be the last; then I'll be face with the job of writing the epilogue. Please review! Mindless and pointless flames will be ignored! I swear to God, I'm a good ignorer...**


	20. Part 20

**It depresses me that this story's coming to an end. It's the first multi-chapter Naruto story I've written since my joining , and it pretty much documents my betterment (that sounds like it should SO be a word if it's not) in writing. xD; I'd like to point out that I've a long, long way to go yet, but I think I'll get there. **

**...Maybe. If I try. So...probably not.**

**  
NOTE!!: This **_IS NOT_**!! YAOI!! Jeezums. There are no pairings. Accept for obvious ones, like "Shino's momxShino's dad". No, there're no sex affairs going on in Shino's family. As indifferent to him as they are, Shino's parents share some inkling of mutual affection for one another. **

**And before we'd get started, I'd like to point out that Temujin is one of the main characters in the second Naruto movie. He's the red-eyed blond who was determined to disagree with Naruto but ended up loving him and all he stood for? Yeah, I **_**had **_**to include him--I **_**love **_**Temujin, he's so utterly adorable. Especially near the end when he woke up and smiled down at Naruto when he saw that Naruto still had a hold of his hand, even though Naruto was unconscious. The way his suddenly green eyes shone when he really smiled from the heart is what made me fall for him. xD I'm a sucker for a good character, and I **_**love**_** character development. So, that's why Temujin has such a big role. :hugs Naruto: But you'll always be my favorite!!**

_**Et aussi**_**, I gave Itachi and Kisame some background and character depth; I love them both, now. n.n Kisame's physically and mentally adorable in this. -hugs him- And Itachi...well, I amended his character from the "insane-physco-lunatic" to a moderately impatient but overall normal youth of today's society, who just happens to be a felon. -shrug- Who knew?**

**Enjoy the chapter! n.n**

_Broken Glass (Part 20)-_

_No Sacrifice_

Naruto backed away as the Jeep pulled off. He wasted no time spinning on his heel and dashing into the small pub, slamming open the door and screaming for Cook. Heads turned; a part of Naruto, the part that immediately scouted for something out of place each time he entered a room, recognized immediately that there were quite a few strangers mixed in with the men he knew.

And despite all that was weighing down on him, despite the people counting on him, Naruto felt a twinge of regret. He'd been gone for so long--when was the last time he'd been involved in a raid, or fought against a rival gang who'd ventured onto the wrong side of the street? Of course, it was no fun when Temujin had left, but Naruto found himself missing those days.

He missed coming to this bar every night for Cook and Ayame to patch him up, for the men who'd grown used to him coming in patting him carefully on the head or back and buying him a meal, because it made him feel accepted.

He missed pounding jerks who deserved it into the pavement, because it made him respected.

He missed planning out raids with Temujin and his group, because it made him observant.

He missed the danger on the streets, the tense and heavy anxiety filling his chest when he pressed up against the alley wall, listening intently for the sound of footfalls or silence around the corner when he scouted, because it made him smart.

He missed fighting for survival, because it made him strong.

Suddenly an arm was wrapped tight around his shoulders, and he blinked, glancing up into the dark, wise eyes of Jiraiya, one of the most respected regulars of the pub. Naruto was a favorite with Jiraiya, and Jiraiya didn't care who knew about it. "Hey, kid," he said, hugging him one-armed. "We haven't seen you around here in awhile!"

Naruto smiled, feeling as he did then; like he'd been beckoned from a really dark and barren land into one that, while still barren, wasn't quite so dark. And, just as he did then, he pulled a scowl, slid away from the man's arm and snapped, "Don't touch me, perv!" which immediately reassured the rest of the men that he was their street rat and not some look-a-like. He grinned as they gathered round him, stroking the purring Kyuubi, introducing him to the people there he didn't know, and he was glad to be in the midst of them.

And then Cook was banging his wooden ladle on the counter, yelling, "Naruto! There's someone back here who hasn't shut up about you in about ten hours."

Naruto glowed, ducking past everyone else to jump the counter with ease, sliding to the other side, Kyuubi perched on his shoulder. He scanned the room quickly, before his gaze lit on _him. _"T...Temujin!" Naruto yelled, rushing forward, knocking several things off the counter with a metallic _clang!_

The pale-haired boy turned around, blinking at the sudden call of his name. His face was flawless, his eyes a startling scarlet; said eyes widened and his perfect lips parted in surprise. He opened his arms in time to catch Naruto, and returned his hug with every bit as much enthusiasm. "Naruto?! I can't believe it's really you!" He was laughing and crying at the same time, astounded, astonished and elated; Naruto understood--he'd missed him, too, everyday. So he drug his sleeve down over his hand and rubbed at Temujin's face, the ministration Temujin would execute for him in earlier years. Temujin smiled, and had to laugh again when Kyuubi jumped onto his head and leaned down to lick his forehead. "You always knew how to make me feel better," he mumbled, covering his face with his arm, and old habit of his. Naruto smiled, recognizing that he was trying to compose himself, and took a step away.

Almost at once, Temujin's hand shot out and gripped his wrist. Naruto blinked. "No way," the ruby-eyed said firmly, "are you getting farther than arm's length away." Naruto grinned, happy beyond words to be with him again.

It was just like old times. He never wanted it to stop. Even Kyuubi remembered; he was never so open with strangers--he knew Temujin, and cared for him. The men in the bar were getting into an argument, and Cook was threatening to throw a pot of stew at them. Ayame was weaving around the tables, filling orders--never needing to worry about violence, because all of the men bore the honor code strictly and did not abide with those who didn't.

Naruto realized with a start Temujin had been talking. "...a whole lot better than when I last saw you!"

Piecing together what the other had said quickly, Naruto said, "Yeah, I got adopted, Temujin! By the doctor who found me and took me...to the...hos...pital..." He could see Temujin's eyes narrowing further with each syllable.

"Hospital? Why'd you have to go to the hospital? What happened?" It was the tone he'd used all those years ago when he was trying to weasel out a thief in the midst of his gang. Naruto hated it when that tone got turned on him, for whatever reason.

"See, cause I started getting careless, and they...er, well, I--"

"They came onto our turf and outnumbered you," Temujin said slowly, leaning back. "I knew that would happen. I _knew."_

"It's okay," Naruto said with a consoling smile, "I'm not too bad--"

"You lived in the hospital for awhile, Cook told me. That means you were. Please don't lie to me," his tone was sudden pleading, his scarlet eyes round with concern. Naruto tried to meet his eyes squarely, and barely managed, but his gaze didn't hold.

"I did live in the hospital, for a few years after you left, actually," Naruto started in, stroking Kyuubi softly. The fox was nestled warm against his neck, purring comfort loudly. "'Course, I snuck out almost every day to see Cook and them. But it was while I was in the hospital that I met Sasuke Uchiha."

_"The _Sasuke Uchiha?" Temujin's eyes widened in recognition. "The one whose brother--"

"Yeah," Naruto grimaced, "that one. Anyway, my doctor ended up adopting us both. He enrolled us in school after awhile, too, and we made some really good friends. That's not to say that the action ended, though. Remember that little redhead that used to wander around?" Temujin nodded, eyes slightly unfocused as his mind wandered back. "Turns out his name's Gaara and his dad's a fecking bastard. Worse than that--he's a rich fecking bastard." Temujin scowled, understanding immediately, eyes bright on Naruto once more; it was just like back then, Naruto rushing back with information he'd gathered, passing it to Temujin in gushing whispers, careful not to forget a thing, and Temujin listening carefully, not missing a word...

"Anyway, his dad's after him--not because he did anything wrong; just cause his dad hates not getting his way. And at the same time, Shikamaru's--one of my classmates--dad found him again, and Shikamaru's mom went to meet him alone, and Shikamaru and Chouji--Shikamaru's best friend--went after _her. _Sasuke told me he'd look after Gaara; Gaara's older brother and sister, Kankuro and Temari, are probably taking them somewhere safe as we speak. Sasuke made a few phone calls before we split up, though. Kiba, Lee, Shino and Neji are probably on their way to the dock where Shikamaru and Chouji are right now."

As he said it, he felt the anxiety that had so easily slipped off his shoulders weigh him down again. The suffocating fear of losing one of his precious people grayed his vision, leaving him trembling, rendering him breathless. How would he be able to continue living, knowing he'd let one of his friends die at the hands of--

Temujin's arms were around him suddenly, the red-eyed boy pulling him into a hug, confused by the boy's loyalty. Naruto had shown almost no trust or compassion to anyone but Temujin and Kyuubi when he was a child growing up. He made it clear he would not accept help, would not give out any, either, unless he was ordered to. And now, here he was, almost dizzy and sick with fear at the thought of any harm coming to these people he'd mentioned. Temujin was stroking his hair, something he knew would calm Naruto immediately--_Like a cat, _Temujin thought wryly--and then Temujin pulled back, looking his former charge up and down.

"Temujin...it's wrong of me to ask you for help after only just seeing you--"

"If you didn't let me come along to kick some rich bastard's ass I'd probably never speak to you again," Temujin responded matter-of-factly, striding to the wall and grabbing the cord phone. He punched some buttons, leaned against the wall and waited. Finally, someone picked up: "Yo. Hiro? Yeah...Hiro, shut up for a minute, this is serious." Temujin kind of twitched, grip on the phone tightening. "Yeah, yeah--I said _yeah!!_...God. Anyway, Naruto is with me. ...I _knew _you'd remember him! Hehe, he's doing awesome; little guy fended for himself pretty well without us around to--OW!! Goddamn...Shut up, Hiro, you asshole..."

Temujin rubbed his arm where Naruto'd punched him, glaring accusingly at the blue-eyed. "Hiro says hi," Temujin informed him, before continuing into the phone. "Anyway, Naruto's got some real good friends now; yeah, I know. But somebody's out to get 'em. A lot of 'em are in trouble at the moment, and he's gonna barge right into the middle of it to save 'em, and you and I _both _know that nothing we say or do's gonna stop the fox from doing something once he puts his mind to doing it. So what _I _wanna know is, are we gonna let him go it alone?" Temujin winced, suddenly holding the phone at arm's length; Naruto blinked at the angry cursing from the other end. Sounding apologetic, Temujin said, "Ye--yeah, I _know, _Hiro, I wasn't implying that you'd back-stab him or anything...You'll bring the gang, right? ..._Sweet! _How'd you hook that up?! Yeah, yeah--see you in ten."

"The hell was that all about?" Naruto asked, raising one eyebrow as Temujin hung up the phone.

Temujin smiled hugely. "Remember how Hiro was kind of a freak for bikes?" Naruto nodded slowly. "Well, just...just keep that in mind, 'kay?" Temujin couldn't help a huge smile from growing across his face. "Those bastards'll never know what hit 'em."

--

Shikamaru threw himself in between them, arms spread out on either side of him. "Don't touch her," he said quietly, eyes flashing. If there was ever a time he was more afraid, ever a time he wanted to run--really run--far, far away more than he did now, he was hard-pressed to think of it. He tried not to look at the diluted blood on the ground, nor the matching crimson on his mother's face. He kept his eyes on his father, gazing steadily up into that unfocused, drunken stare and hoped his father was in another one of his clumsy stupors where the most he could manage was a few steps forward and then some back.

"Shikamaru...You've really grown up." Shikamaru bristled at the sound of the slurred voice. His father relaxed as he spoke, taunt frame easing, tense fists loosening into limp fingers. "I hardly recognize you." Shikamaru stayed wary, eyes watching his every move. His father's eyes remained that cold, steady, uncaring black--the same color as Shikamaru's own. He studied that gaze, noting the tense emotion behind their dark veil.

He knew the man would wait for him to let his guard down; the man was _trying _to get his guard down. Once he did, it was all over; he would be dead, and there would be nothing standing between this vengeful drunkard and his mother. Shikamaru's eyes narrowed and he clenched his fists to keep his hands from trembling.

The tender look on his father's face evaporated. "Still too smart for your own good, eh?" the man chuckled, folding his arms; and then Shikamaru realized with a start that the drunken act had been simply that--nothing more than a ruse to fool him.

He didn't get his intelligence from his mother, after all.

He felt his mother's arms around him; the woman, who'd been quiet until now, getting her breath back, said softly, "If you lay a hand on him, I will kill you, Shikaku." Her eyes flashed. "I won't wait for the police to show up--I'll kill you. I will _not _let you hurt Shikamaru."

His eyes narrowed and he took a step forward; "He's my son, too, y'know," he said, voice quaking with silent fury. "You teaching him to fear me...His own _father._" Shikamaru pressed back against his mother despite himself, and she pulled him close, nothing at all weak about her angry, defiant glare. And then, just as suddenly, a very loud cell phone ring went off to their far right. Shikaku glanced over, as did Shikamaru and his mother. "Have a friend, do you?" he snarled at them, turning around and started towards the sound.

_Suddenly, sirens were wailing outside, filling the room with light that swept across the walls, ceiling, surfaces in a dizzying rotation. Chouji was silhouetted against the door frame, cellphone clutched in his hand; an officer had an arm around him. Shikamaru felt a pang at seeing fresh tears on the boy's face by the odd reflections the light cast._

Shikamaru's eyes widened. "N...No! No!" He rushed forward, stopped only by his mother's hand tight around his wrist. "_Let go!" _He strained away, eyes wide with fear as his father stalked off in the direction of the techno ring tone. "Chouji!"

"Shikamaru, shut up," came a very familiar voice to his left. He spun. Chouji was beside him, crouching unharmed next to his mother, smiling that closed-eye smile that somehow always reassured Shikamaru; it made him think that, somehow, if people in the world could still smile like that, everything would be okay.

What would he do without Chouji? The fact that the kid had yet to run away (cause this kind of thing wasn't exactly the most fun they'd ever had) was amazing in its self. The kid was smart; almost as smart as Shikamaru--he set the ring tone, hiding the phone behind a crate, and then ran, an easy way to lure Shikaku away from Shikamaru and his mother. He smiled to himself, and turned to Yoshino. "Mom--go call the police."

She stared at him, wiping the blood on her face off onto her sleeve. "What?"

Shikamaru stared back, ignoring the distant roar of frustration when his father realized he'd been duped. "Go find a phone and call the police. If we all tried to run, we'd be caught. If we all stay here, we're dead anyway. It'll be hard for him to catch me and Chouji; we can hide away in small places. He'd have to search the whole dock over, right?" It was a lie. There was no place to hide, unless they could pry open a crate--and even then, the broken wood _might _give them away. But he couldn't let his mother know that.

It took a good twenty seconds to persuade her to leave; Shikamaru finally snapped, "If you don't want us to die, you'll call the police _now," _and that, plus the knowledge that if any child could get themself out of this trouble it was Shikamaru, was what eventually made the woman get up and leave her only son behind as she slipped off her heels and ran barefoot back to the city. Chouji found that a little more humorous than he should have as he and Shikamaru made their way to the factory on the dock.

"Your mom's so great," Chouji said, giggling, and Shikamaru scowled at him.

"Well, it's not practical to run in heels."

"Why'd she wear them in the first place?"

"...Shut up."

The sound of Chouji's quiet laughter eased Shikamaru's tensed frame; the atmosphere Chouji created almost made it seem like this was just a fun, high-stakes game of tag around the neighborhood after dark. Shikamaru found himself grinning with him, despite himself. Yoshino was safe, he and Chouji were together, ducking around the crates like they had during hide-and-go-seek with the others, and his father would never find them; even if he did, Shikamaru thought that maybe, if Chouji was with him, he wouldn't be so scared.

_Everything will be okay, as long as people can just smile and let it go. Smile and nod, cheerfully agree, not upset the balance. _

--

"We are _not!"_

"But you have to!"

"No, I don't!"

"Please!" Sasuke pleaded, leaning forward in his seat. "I know you want to get Gaara somewhere safe, but--"

"If you wanna go to the dock so bad, go yourself," Kankuro snapped at him, voice unintentionally venomous. He winced at Sasuke's hurt expression, but said nothing.

"I can't do that, you fat bastard," Sasuke snarled suddenly, surprising both front-seat passengers with his blatant disrespect. "I promised my brother I'd watch after Gaara--hell, Gaara's as much of a brother to me as he is to you, I don't want to see him get hurt, either."

"Then why do you want to intentionally put him in harm's way?" Temari asked, glaring at Sasuke's reflection in the rearview mirror.

"Because he'll be safer with all of us than he will be with the two of you," Sasuke replied.

"Wrong--you're just a bunch of _kids. _And as soon as we get where we're going, I'm calling the cops. From what I've heard, this stuff is way too much for you and your buddies to handle," the blond woman said, making a left-hand turn.

"Like hell you are!" Sasuke's eyes flashed dangerously; the setting sun glaring off the rearview mirror made them appear almost _red..._Gaara's older siblings shared a glance.

Gaara took Sasuke's hand, gazing up at him with a wholehearted trust and unconcerned curiosity. Sasuke was shocked for a moment, then recovered quickly and rested his other hand on Gaara's head. "Look," he said quietly, "I know neither of you like me or Naruto."

Kankuro spun around. "When did we--"

"And I know you think we're both dumb kids in way over our heads, and that we're completely incapable of taking care of ourselves."

The man scratched the back of his head. "Now, that's--"

"And I _know _you want to protect Gaara. But if anything happens to any of those people...even if Naruto's not hurt physically, seeing the death of one of his friends isn't something he could live with. And if Naruto was hurt like that, how do you think it would affect Gaara?"

Temari pressed her lips together, staring hard out the window. Kankuro gazed impassively back at the young Uchiha, still twisted uncomfortably in the passenger's seat.

Sasuke's face was shadowed, his free hand formed into a trembling fist. "And...and do...do you think that I...Do you think that I would be able to live with myself, knowing that while I was off safe hiding somewhere, my friends were being hurt?! Knowing that I called them there, and I didn't show up myself, and _they _got hurt?! What the hell kind of person could live with that, huh?! What kind of person would be able to sleep at night, knowing that thanks to them--"

"Easy, kid," Kankuro said suddenly, grinning at him. Sasuke blinked, cut off in the middle of his monologue. "You know, you wouldn't have bought us with that "affecting Gaara" shit." He smirked wider when Sasuke flushed. "But now that we got your real reasoning, I'm sure we could spin by there and check some shit out. You up for some games, sis?"

Temari was grinning as well, spinning the steering wheel. Sasuke clutched Gaara to him as the car spun wildly in an illegal U-turn. "Hell yeah, I am."

--

Crimson eyes widened as tense fingers tightened on the steering wheel; the Jeep in front of him transported not only his assigned target, but also...

"Is that your little brother?" came his companion's expected question. He glanced over in annoyance at the blue man sitting beside him, gazing out the windshield Feeling eyes on him, the gilled man turned to grin at the first. "I only thought it was worth asking."

"You're not paid to think," the red-eyed man said quietly, returning his gaze to the vehicle before them.

"I'm not _paid _at all, which is why I mooch," the blue man said shamelessly, fingering the slits in his neck. "Anyway, I s'pose you'll be aiming to kill two birds with one stone, right?" Without waiting for an answer, he pulled out his cellphone and held it to his ear. "Oi--Ritsu. Round up Kif and the others, and get a move on." Ritsu and Kif were two of Itachi and Kisame's closest friends; their former team had all been either killed off or had sworn alliance with some other group. Of course, their former team (consisting of Deidara, Zetsu and Sasori) hadn't really been friends. More like accomplices.

Kisame laughed at something Ritsu mumbled before snapping the phone shut and tossing it on the dashboard.

"Kisame, put your phone away."

"Y'ain't my boss." Kisame was one of the only people in the world who could manage talking back to Itachi without being punished; Itachi glared coldly, and Kisame shot him back an award-winning smile. "Lighten up, you're finally getting your revenge on Sasuke for getting us thrown in jail--be _happy._"

'Us'. Itachi was silent, staring ahead. Out of all of his "comrades", Kisame was the only one who demanded to be given the same life sentence. On top of that, he was what kept Itachi sane, or at least from slipping farther into insanity.

He remember clearly the first time they'd met; how Itachi had accidentally fallen into his group's good graces.

--

_How he'd gotten himself into this mess, he'd never know. One instant it was just him, walking down the street after school in the direction of home--construction was being done up ahead, so he decided to forgo the noise and take a shortcut through a back alley--and then there suddenly five boys surrounding him, only a few years younger than him (if not the same age) by the looks of them. They were obviously homeless. Itachi wrinkled his nose in disgust. _

_"Hey, check it out," one of them said, a blond who might once very well have been beautiful. His faded green eyes gave Itachi the once-over. "He's from that private school up the street. He's probably one of those rich kids, right?" The blond crossed his arms. "Do you have any money, rich-kid?"_

_Itachi refused to let himself roll his eyes. Instead, he crossed his arms and said, "I'm not giving you money so you can go ruin your already shot-to-hell lives even farther." Apparently, it was the wrong thing to say; they scowled, and the blond reached to grab him. Remembering something he'd read about addicts being extremely paranoid and unstable, Itachi held still for a moment. _

_The man said quietly, dragging Itachi forward to mutter in his ear, "Don't come down here with your superior bullshit; you don't know what this is like." Itachi's eyes widened slightly, but before he could say anything he was thrown back. "Go through his bag," the man said. _

_"Hold up, Ritsu." Another young man approached them. He had dark, glittering black eyes and, oddly enough, dark blue hair. His skin was--Itachi was a little startled to see--a very, very light blue. "He's got nothing to do with your problems." He kept walking and unceremoniously shoved the boys away from Itachi's bag, picking up the items that had scattered out of it and stowing them back in the bag, before dropping it into Itachi's lap. "I agree he shouldn't speak about things he doesn't understand," this time the boy's voice was directed at Itachi, "but it's because he doesn't understand that you have to be forgiving."_

_"But...But, Kisame..." Ritsu looked a little put-out; the blond suddenly seemed a whole lot younger, trusting. "Shouldn't we--"_

_"I told you," Kisame said, voice cold and unyielding, "I'd take care of food. Everyone will get their fair share, and no one will starve." Then he smiled at the blond; and despite his bedraggled appearance and whimsical manner, Kisame looked so handsome when he smiled. Ritsu looked properly defeated. "They haven't yet, right?"_

_"I didn't mean that--"_

_"I know," Kisame pushed his shoulders from behind, steering him forward. "Now let's go find some chow." When he let him go, Ritsu stumbled forward a few steps, glancing over his shoulder. Kisame beamed at him, making a shoo-shoo gesture with one hand, and, gathering his friends, Ritsu led them off somewhere. And then suddenly, Itachi felt the full force of Kisame's rage come down upon him and he realized _exactly _why this blue-skinned youth was in charge._

_"Don't you _ever _belittle any of them again," he hissed in a voice so soft Itachi strained to hear. "If I find out you have, I'll find _you _to personally ask why." His dark eyes were flashing. "You have no idea what they've been through; they've seen more than you have. It's clear in the way you walk and speak--you've never had to sacrifice anything in your life, let anything go. Until that day comes, shut the _fuck _up about other people, when you don't know their history." _

_Itachi could only blink in silence. Kisame gave him one last glare, before grinning brightly and helping him to his feet. "Sorry about before, they're really eager to help me out, and they overdo it sometimes." He trotted backwards, calling, "Be careful going home, things get dangerous around here!" And with a jaunty wave, he was gone._

_Spaz..., Itachi thought sullenly, gathering his wits. But whether he liked it or not, that spaz had been right. No one had _ever_ talked that way to him before. He shook his head, making his way home. He had a lot to think about._

_And he wouldn't see Kisame again until a week or so later, when a handful of thugs came onto school grounds. Itachi might have ignored them; the school day was over, and he'd already reached the gates. It would've taken no effort at all to simply leave and not get involved. But then he heard a high-pitched shriek, and froze mid-thought. Leaving was one thing; leaving with a defenseless girl in harm's way completely went against his morals..._

_  
Which was how he found himself in the predicament he was in; surrounded by slightly pissed-off men, he being the only thing separating them from their trembling, whimpering prey (Miko, a girl from his class, coincidentally). His only thought was a simple Dammit. He was resigned to pain the moment he'd stepped foot in front of her. So when the first man made his advance, Itachi was unruffled; he simply stared ahead, waiting for the inevitable._

_But then the man gave a shout of surprise, and Itachi blinked; in front of him, a blue-haired someone had delivered a high-kick to the man's neck but held it just before actual contact. Then, before anyone could act, he swung it back, and kneed the man in the stomach, doubling him over. Shoving him back, Kisame glanced over his shoulder, looking annoyed. "I thought you were the type to stay out of trouble," he muttered, throwing a punch. _

_Itachi heard scuffling behind him; remembering Miko, he spun--only to find Ritsu in front of her, protecting her on that side. It was sad how easily these men went down; but then, of course, they started pulling out pipes and stuff. What really surprised Itachi was that Kisame chuckled a bit. He aimed another kick at a man's wrist, and when his fingers loosened on his pipe, he kicked it up. It arched back into Kisame's waiting hand--he gripped it like a baseball bat and swung hard. _

_Needless to say, it was over in a matter of minutes. Kisame, Ritsu and the others were grinning, watching the men beat a fast retreat. Miko thanked Itachi profusely, thanked Ritsu rather hesitantly, before fleeing the scene. Itachi didn't dwell too much on her state of mind; she was annoying, and he didn't like her. Instead, seeing that his somewhat-saviors were about to depart, he asked, "How did--"_

_"Big brother's been keepin' tabs on you," a brunet boy from their group said, "to make sure you don't get hurt." He looked about as old as Ritsu, if not maybe a year or so younger. His hazel eyes were bright, his smile friendly. "You're lucky."_

_I certainly don't _feel _lucky, Itachi thought. Kisame said, "Come 'ere, Ryouh, stop bothering the rich kid," and the boy--apparently Ryouh--trotted back to him. "Anyway, we're gonna shove off," he said with a salute. "Aye, cap'n?" _

_The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them: "At ease," he said vaguely. And they left Itachi standing there, wondering why the hell he didn't hate them for disrupting his once-normal-enough life on two different occasions. _

_Of course, they didn't disappear from his life completely; one of them would always show up randomly about the day. Ritsu would be sitting on the wall around the school, waiting for Itachi to come out; then he'd jump down and ask a million questions about what school life was like. Ryouh would trail him relentlessly in any shop he entered; eventually, it got to the point where Ryouh would recommend things for Itachi to buy (more for Ryouh's sake than Itachi's). Another from their group, Kif, would simply fall into step beside him abruptly on the way to or from places. Kif was a gentle, white-haired boy with a soft voice and a thoughtful expression. He'd usually keep the walks quiet, the silence letting Itachi know that he wasn't there to make his life a misery, but only because Kisame had sent him for safety measures. _

_Because, believe it or not, the city streets were fraught with danger in broad daylight. _

_Still, Itachi found himself not caring too much. Ryouh, thought about his age, had the innocence of a child; it felt unfair to get annoyed at him. Ritsu was just openly curious about anything and everything he didn't get a chance to experience first-hand; Itachi felt bad for putting a damper on that the first few times it happened, and humored him with answers. Kif was a thoughtful, respectful boy who wanted nothing more out of life than praise from the people he admired--to do that, he'd work hard with no complaints; Itachi respected people like that. _

_The others in Kisame's group he would catch glimpses of on street corners or something; not that they were trying to be stealthy--they'd always give him huge waves. Kisame himself would usually appear on Itachi's doorstep every few nights, to make sure he got home okay. They'd always have a strange conversation, Kisame inviting himself in and Itachi being too tired by the end of the day to care. They'd talk about random goings-on and happenings about the neighborhood, or cakes. Kisame, apparently, _loved _cakes. But in any case, it was Kisame's visits Itachi found himself looking forward to the most. Kisame was a very intelligent conversationalist, and always brought up some strange point on a subject that Itachi would never have noticed. _

_On one such night, as Kisame made himself comfortable in Itachi's small kitchen, Itachi sat idly at the kitchen bar, watching the blue boy's steady hands. "Why are you here?" he asked abruptly, moving his gaze to his guest's._

_Kisame was quite unruffled, mixing some sugars and brown powder into a plastic tub. "Aren't I welcome?" he asked in return, measuring the amounts with his eyes as he spooned in more sugar. "Hope you like hot chocolate; I want some cause it's cold out tonight."_

_"No, I mean...Why do you do all this?" Itachi waved an arm at him. "You barge into my house--your friends tail me everywhere I go. Why is that?"_

_"Well," Kisame didn't stop stirring, reaching over absently to turn the burner with the whistling kettle on it down to a lower setting. "It's probably because you're interesting." Kisame grinned, finally glancing at him. "You're interesting in the fact that you try not to have any personality at all. You act so distant and always keep so quiet, trying for the world's gaze to pass by you. You act like you don't care anything about anyone else, so everyone's afraid to approach you. You pretend not to notice what goes on around you, and you tend to say harsh things, but only to ensure that people keep their distance. Seemingly everything you do is for your own self gain, but I know better." He tilted his to one side, still smiling. "You're very determination to be ordinary is what sets you apart from everyone else. It made us curious; so we decided to follow you, find out more about you. After a while, we began to like trailing after you. Ryouh and Ritsu especially; they've all really taken to you." He poured the boiling water into two different mugs, and stirred some powder into both of them. Pushing one towards Itachi, he pulled up a chair to sit facing him on the opposite side of the bar, blowing on his own. "Did that answer your question?"_

_Itachi could only stare at him for what seemed like several eternities packed into one brief moment. His mind was a blank; he coudn't even begin denying it, telling himself the boy was just making up stuff as he went along. He could only wonder helplessly how he'd been able to figure it all out so _soon. _Itachi thought he did a very good job of being cryptic. So finally, in the end, he only settled for a "Yes, I understand better, now," to which Kisame replied, "Good, good."_

_And that was that. _

_But...when there was no sight of any of them one afternoon, Itachi let himself worry. It was odd, being alone again, and he, despite himself, was concerned. After school, he trotted down to where he knew the group usually hung out. They were gathered around something, looking extremely anxious and upset. When they heard him approach, they all turned defensively, then visibly relaxed. Ryouh, Ritsu and Kif (with whom he'd become a favorite) rushed up to him. "Big brother won't wake up," Ryouh said frantically. "He...We didn't know--"_

_And Itachi's eyes fell on Kisame; leaning unconscious against the alley wall, an empty syringe in one hand. Later, he was told (by Kif, surprisingly) that his eyes went this intense shade of red. He strode over to the blue-haired boy, picking him up off the ground with surprising ease, and marched purposefully away. Ritsu followed immediately, as did the others, demanding to know where Itachi was taking Kisame; Itachi said quietly, "To the hospital, so he won't die," which shut the rest of them up efficiently. _

_He was checked in; to avoid questions, Itachi made the others wait outside. He only had to tell the nurses and doctor his surname, which immediately made them all too nervous to question him, as well. For once, Itachi was thrilled to have such a powerful family name. They allowed him to stay in the room with Kisame; Kisame's friends selected Kif to go as well, to act as their representative, since the nurses were reluctant to have a huge group of people there. _

_When Kisame's eyes finally slid open, Kif had fallen fast asleep on the cushioned bench beside the bed. Itachi, however, was wide awake; red eyes the only part of him visible in the dimly-lit room. "What the hell, Kisame." Kisame only smiled over at him with no amount of darkness in his expression at all and explained that after all the beatings and rape he'd gone through, he just needed some relief. Drugs had been his only escape at the time; he met his friends later--and seeing them, small broken and homeless, as he explained to Itachi, was what made him try to recover himself. He wanted to be strong enough to protect them. He wanted to be their role model. _

_His open honesty had stunned Itachi, not that he let it show. Itachi growled, "And you didn't tell any of them, did you? About your addiction?" Kisame opened his mouth, but Itachi cut him off. "No, let me guess--you didn't want them to _worry. _You wanted them to be able to turn to you no matter what, to be able to rely on you all the time, to be able to go to you with any problem; you wanted to be able to take care of them in every way, shape and form that was humanly possible, because for the first time in your life, you had someone who needed you, loved you, respected and admired you. You didn't want that to go away, so you desperately tried to prove your worth. And meanwhile, all the stress from that, plus trying to survive--and now feeding and protecting a whole new group--was taking its toll on you, making you crave the drug you wanted nothing to do with. So, you get high all the time behind your friends back, and, by extension, almost kill yourself. The doctors said that what turned your skin blue was the consumption of all those drugs and chemicals. You're such a bastard! I can't fucking believe you'd do this." Itachi was, no holds barred, _livid.

_Kisame watched him, and, to Itachi's immense surprise (and sudden guilt), the boy was almost crying. No tears, of course, but the way his eyebrows knit together, and his suddenly vulnerable expression made it obvious. "I...I didn't..." Itachi watched him struggle for words. "I...didn't want...mean...for...they're so little, Itachi." _Now _he was crying. "They're so little, and, and they don't have any family. I...wanted to be there for them, and...to...to show them that not all people are b-bad, y'know...? I, I wanted to h-heal them, b-but I couldn't while I-I was an addict, so I tried to stop...but I kept having these n-nightmares, and I couldn't get all this s-stuff out of my head...I-I felt like I was alone, all the t-time, even though I had them around. And thinking that way made me f-feel worse...like, I wasn't b-being grateful, g-grateful that I had them. S-So..." He was clenching his blankets, head lowered slightly, letting the tears fall. "So I t-tried to pretend that I was okay; that I-I was just being stupid. I thought that I'd get over it, that I'd...I'd move on, and forget..." He brought his hands up to his head, curling forward slightly. "B-But those dreams...th-they wouldn't go away, and I kept waking up f-feeling more and m-more desolate...S-So, I...I...I needed...I couldn't handle...it...But I wanted...to...I didn't want to be alone, anymore." His eyes were clenched tightly shut. "I'd do anything, anything, if it meant I wouldn't be alone!"_

_Itachi stood, making his way over to the bed. Sitting on the edge, he held his arms out to Kisame; he knew when a good hug was needed, but wouldn't unless--_

_Kisame leaned into the embrace, struggling to stop crying and failing miserably. Itachi muttered, "I'm not much of a condolence, I know...but..." He frowned, glancing away. "You're not alone anymore, okay? You'll have help from now on." He glanced down at the head nestled into his shoulder. "You'll have me. You, and Kif, and Ritsu--all of them. You can all stay with me; we can move into one of my family's houses. My father has plenty of them, several he doesn't use. If I asked to move into one, he wouldn't question me. You'll have food, and a place to sleep, and a house staff to annoy the hell out of. You'll still have free reign of the kitchen, since that's so important to you. And Kif can have his books, and Kyo can have his plants, Ryouh his toys, Suoh his paints. We can register them, and they can go to school if they'd like. Everything will work out." He was unconsciously rubbing the boy's back, in a manner similar to the way Itachi's mother used to, when he was younger, in the days she was maternal and his father wasn't a tyrant. Although..._

_He never thought _he'd _be acting fatherly towards _anyone--_least not someone his own age. _

_He was beginning to feel awkward, but just as the thought to pull away crossed his mind, Kisame chuckled softly, rubbing his eyes. He sat up himself, eyes closed, a smile fixed on his face. Itachi wanted to rip it off; fake smiles didn't suit Kisame well at all. "You know," the blue-skinned boy said, "you're better at condolences than you think." His eyes drifted to Kif; who, although he had shifted around a bit, han't woken up. A softer looked settled in his eyes, and he reached over to brush some of the fine, snow-white hair from Kif's face. "I'm sorry."_

_Although he knew, Itachi said, "What for."_

_"For crying all over you like that," the boy replied, only for Itachi's eyes, gentled back to their original dark color, to flash a dull red again. Kisame, however, was undaunted. "I know I don't have any right to cry. There's no rhyme or reason to it." There was that smile again; but this time, it held. Itachi frowned. Was he smiling...for his own sake? He didn't appear to care what Itachi thought of him; he had that kind of strength about him, as fragile as it was, not to care about that kind of thing. So he was smiling because, in a way..._

_Everything will be okay, as long as people can just smile and let it go. Smile and nod, cheerfully agree, not upset the balance. _

_He accepted Itachi's invitation to move in with him; the Uchiha compound selected to house them would never be the same. It was too drab, so of course his new brothers had to add some color. Everywhere. There were enough rooms for all of them to have their own, but after so many years of curling up together in a nest of sorts, the boys were loathe to sleep alone. Thus, making allowances, Itachi allowed for them to simply push four big beds together and pile it high with blankets and sheets everynight to snuggle down into. The staff Itachi and Kisame had _hand-selected _(a very tedious chore) insisted upon the boys taking baths everynight. The boys weren't thrilled to hear this, but none of them voiced a complaint._

_"They're grateful little savages," Kisame told Itachi when the latter mentioned this. "They know when obedience is due." Kisame smiled that closed-eye smile and his head tipped slightly to one side. "Aren't they cute?" _

_And there was another rule; Itachi explained to the rest of his new family that Kisame--whom he was sitting on during the explanation to effectively mute any objections the latter might have had--got nightmares easily, but kept them to himself. The group was appalled to hear this, and Itachi enjoyed watching them scold a meek and sheepish Kisame until they turned on him, too, for not telling them sooner. When Kisame outright laughed at him, he threw a vase at Kisame's head. _

_Needless to say, his life picked up fast. People at school questioned why there was always a blue-haired boy sitting on the wall, staring into the sky, waiting for Itachi to be done. Itachi would usually brush off their questions and walk outside. Kisame would blink and glance over his shoulder, and then a huge grin would split his face and he'd yell, "Tachi!" because he knew how much Itachi hated being called that. So, naturally, Itachi would find the nearest inanimate object and hurl it at him, usually successfully knocking him off the wall. It confused his peers and teachers even more, but finally the questions stopped altogether. _

_The days wore him out, but he slept soundly at night. It was good to live with people again; and, despite it all, it felt wonderful to be needed.  
_

_"Oi," a voice drifted from the opposite side of the room. _

_"Hn," Itachi's voice came, muffled by his pillow. "What do you want?"_

_"Just to say goodnight." In the moonlight, Itachi could vaguely see a Cheshire Cat-like smile spread across his friend's face. "Tachi."_

_Had he not been so tired, he might have thrown the pillow. As it was, he only smiled and fell asleep. _

--

"...chi. _Oi, _Earth to the brain-dead!" Kisame's face was an inch from his own, the man twisted in his seat to peer into the driver's eyes. "What are you so deep in thought about?" When Itachi only blinked, Kisame rolled his eyes. "Well, whatever it was, it must have been important for you not to have noticed that you're going the wrong way."

Itachi blinked again, noticing the lack-of-Jeep on the road ahead of him.

"They fishtailed around and went that-a-way," Kisame continued, jerking a thumb over his shoulder. "Towards the bridge."

--

Blood splattered out in front of him; Shikaku reeled back, yelling out in pain. Chouji flinched and Shikamaru grimaced; then Shino was next to them, ushering them away, and Kiba was snarling, "Get a move on, dumbass!" Shikamaru grabbed Chouji's wrist and ran, ignoring the crimson staining Akamaru's muzzle.

Things happened fast after that.

**Yaaaaaay!! You guys should feel happy! This story's gonna live a little longer! I'm sorry about the ENOURMOUS flashback, but GET OVER IT. It needed to be done, in order for me not to hate Kisame and Itachi. -nods- Anyway...Please review!**

**(I don't own the "Cheshire Cat". He's from _Alice in Wonderland_, the best character in the whole damn thing.)**

**ONE MORE CHAPTER, and then the EPILOGUE! Don't forget!**

**-Tai**


	21. Part 21

**I'm so grateful for all of the support I've had from my readers/reviewers with this story so far! I never dreamt BG would get so popular! Make no mistake, I'm utterly thrilled and heartbroken to see it go. T-T But I thought I might as well wrap it up before I ruined it...**

**YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH THIS CHAPTER BROKE MY BRAIN!! AAUUUGHHHH!! I HAD TO PIECE THINGS TOGETHER LITTLE BY LITTLE AND GO OVER WHAT I WROTE AND ADD THINGS I LEFT OUT AND I'M NEVER WRITING THIS WAY AGAIN EVEN IF IT DOES HELP WITH THE WRITER'S BLOCK, NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER!!**

_Broken Glass (Part 21)-_

_In the End_

Shikamaru gripped Chouji's wrist, and spun, rushing away and dragging the other boy along. Shino ran at his side, while Kiba and Akamaru kept slightly ahead; Akamaru's white fur was stained crimson, and Shikamaru tried not to think about how angry his father might be. He was aware only of three things:

Chouji was keeping pace with him excellently, not bothering to pull his arm out of Shikamaru's grasp.

Shino and Kiba didn't seem to be in the least bit concerned about their own well-being; Akamaru's snout was to the air--Shikamaru new the pup would smell Shikaku from a mile away, and let himself have that piece of comfort.

He was running faster than he ever had before, from a person who used to mean the world to him.

--

"We've got a follower," Kankuro said suddenly, eyes on the rearview mirror. "He's been tailing us for awhile, now; at first I'd only hoped I was imagining it, but..." Temari said nothing, but tightened her grip on the steering wheel and narrowed her eyes in the rear-view mirror. Sasuke turned around without thinking, and inhaled sharply.

There was no mistaking the face behind the wheel.

"..._Itachi."_

--

Naruto almost burst into tears at the sight of them; he laughed weakly and ran forward, immediately smothered in the arms of his old brothers. Everyone was shouting, the pub men were cheering, and Cook was banging his ladle on the counter top for silence, threatening to kick the lot of them out, although he didn't really mean it.

And at that moment, Naruto felt utterly invincible. "Oy!" he called, standing on a stool, Kyuubi on his shoulder. Temujin paled and immediately went to stand beside him, remembering exactly how accident-prone the blond was. The group quieted and looked to their old leaders. "I know this is really selfish of me, since this is the first time I've seen any of you in...awhile," he started out quietly. "But, I really need help," he continued, gazing out at them with earnest blue eyes. "My precious people are in trouble; the ones who accepted me as their friend could all be hurt very badly, soon." His voice strengthened; Kyuubi yipped, ears twitching forward as it raised its snout. "This is something we can't do alone."

There wasn't even a second of silence before the group was yelling. "Jesus Christ, Naruto!" a boy with shaggy brown hair and bright brown eyes exclaimed, throwing up his arms. "It's not like you have to grovel!"

"Yeah, man!" Another quickly backed up the first, looking almost insulted. "Do you really think you'd even have to ask?"

"Guys, let it go," a new voice drawled, "he's spent too much time livin' the sweet life, he wouldn't remember that 'round here we're all loyal for life." This boy had long black hair tied back in a ponytail, and eyes a startling violet. He was leaned against the doorframe, one booted foot propped against the other, goggles riding his forehead. Those strange purple eyes found Naruto's blue ones; their gazes held. Naruto wanted to squirm, but didn't; Kyuubi's claws dug into Naruto's hair, the little thing bristling.

And then, suddenly, the boy was stomping a foot, yelling, "The first time I've seen you in forever and I don't even get a "Hey, Hiro, nice ta see ya!"?!" Naruto grinned, jumping off his stool; when he made it over to Hiro, the older boy scooped him up into a warm, tight hug. "I've missed ya, kid," he said quietly.

Naruto's arms were tight around him; it had been so long since he'd been lifted off the ground into a hug like this, so long since he'd heard Hiro's voice. Hiro had adopted an older brother protectiveness towards the entire gang; he normally didn't take part in the street scene, choosing to sit back and referee--mainly because as soon as he joined the fight, the odds were against their opponents at once. But despite his cool and calm display on the street, he was warm and caring towards his little brothers. Naruto remembered all the times Hiro had shown up out of nowhere to rescue him from sudden ambushes; how many times he'd gotten hit on the head for thanking him--how many times Hiro had said, "It's not like you're a burden!" each time he apologized.

When Hiro spoke next, he didn't feel the need to set Naruto down, only to transfer him to another arm. "Now--tell us about these sunova bitch baddies."

Naruto laid his head against Hiro's shoulder, and to anyone else it would seem that it was just an emotional overload. To Temujin, it was obvious he was whispering to Hiro something he didn't want the majority of the room to hear.

"I don't want all of them to be involved in this," he said quietly, voice firm. "I swear to god I love them for being here, but not only is it unnecessary, you have no idea how easily one of them might get killed. I don't want that to happen, Hiro."

--

"Where's Naruto?" Shikamaru asked when Sasuke tumbled out of the Jeep with Gaara. "And who're they?"

"This is Kankuro and Temari," Sasuke stumbled forward to be in the midst of his friends, hand clenched tightly around Gaara's. "Everyone, run!" he gasped, gesturing away. "We have to get away from here!"

"Calm down," Neji said quietly, placing a hand on Sasuke's shoulder. "Speak slowly; what's the matter?"

As he spoke, several black cars pulled into the dock. Temari and Kankuro immediately ushered the children back, eyes narrowing in nothing less than absolute hatred.

Itachi opened the door and stepped out of the car, eyes bright on the one who'd made his life a misery for so long. He'd gone about it all wrong the first time; this time he'd do it the right way. He reached a hand to his belt, fingers finding the holster.

"Ita--" Sasuke took a breath. "Itachi! My brother, Itachi, he's here--" He broke off, air catching in his lungs.

Itachi was gratified to see the terror fill his little brother's eyes when he slid the gun out, amused when the boy pushed Gaara behind him, when the rest of the children gathered together.

He blinked, frowning slowly. Some of that fear drained away from Sasuke's face when he felt the little redhead take his hand; when the messy-haired brunette boy grinned encouragingly at him; when the long-black-haired boy nodded once, lavender eyes solid and reassuring; when the dark-haired green-clad boy clapped a hand on his shoulder. Sasuke's posture grew a little more confident, his expression more determined.

Before Itachi could think too much on that, Kisame tugged on his sleeve and whispered, "I hear a 'cycle." Sure enough, the loud roaring of a nearby motor was gradually getting louder and louder. He glanced quickly at Sasuke and his group; they'd noticed the sound, too, and were looking just as confused as he felt.

"Itachi..."

The man blinked, turning around. "What is it, Kif," he asked quietly. The white-haired boy looked miserable and ready to cry. Itachi, loathe to see any of his group near tears, lowered the gun at once and went to his side, peering into his face. "Kif?"

"I..." His small shoulders were shaking, and his slender hands clenched into fists. "I don't want to do this."

A sudden roaring drowned out his words: a motorcycle, mounted by a smirking boy, face covered mostly by the dark visor on his helmet, was speeding recklessly fast in their direction, fishtailing to a stop; one of the two boys riding with him slid off the bike, and took off his helmet.

Itachi felt his eyes narrow involuntarily.

It was the blond-haired, blue-eyed, whisker-scarred fox-kid. His fox was on his shoulder, bristling and snarling silently, the size of a house cat. The boy's expression was no different. There was no fear in his eyes, no hesitation. He was there, surrounded by motorcyclists, by the soft glow of the streetlights, the headlights. His blue eyes gleamed, and for a moment Itachi wasn't sure what to do. It startled him; those eyes, oceanic in their depth and hues, were boring into his mercilessly.

And then he smiled. The kid smiled at him, eyes sliding shut, head tilting slightly to one side. "I told you before," he said quietly, voice carrying over the night air, over the gunning motor, "that Sasuke belonged to us. I didn't think you'd really come back, but even though you did, nothing's changed." As he spoke, Gaara ran up beside him and took his hand, gazing up at him with all the trust in the world. Sasuke's conflicted expression was replaced by one of ultimate relief, and the rest of the children were grinning hugely:

_Now that Naruto's here, everything will be okay. _

Itachi pulled the gun up to eye level, taking aim. He ignored Kisame's enraged shout.

_Not yet._

When he had the perfect shot, his finger crept around the trigger.

_Not yet._

--

_"We simply cannot have him disrupting school!" the principal thundered, eyes narrowed. "One more mishap like this, and he will be expelled." The boy under her gaze did not squirm, nor repent; only sat there silently and let her have her say. _

_His mother gushed apologetically; "Of course, absolutely, I completely understand! It won't happen again, I can promise you that." She stood, slipping her arm into the strap of her shoulder bag. "Come on, Kefrey. We're leaving." She stopped at the door when she realized her son had not obeyed her. "Kefrey, _now_."_

_He stood slowly, eyes downcast, and met her at the door. She gripped his arm fiercly enough to make him wince and walked briskly out the door; it slammed behind them._

_"I'm tired of being made a fool out of. You're always embarrasing me--do you know how ashamed I am to have a son like you? You don't look normal, can't even act normal! You're not worth all the trips down here I take _every week _to hear a report about your atrocious behavior. Do you hear me? You're not _worth _it!"_

_He was silent, allowing himself to be dragged down the hall. He voiced no protest, no plea. His voice was as still as his eyes._

--

He might've pulled the trigger just then.

"Listen, Itachi." Itachi recognized the tone that meant Kisame was serious, and paid attention. "I don't understand fully why you're going to such lengths to get revenge on a kid that had nothing much to do with you for most of his life, but that's okay, because I trust you. I'm with you one-hundred percent on this one, and so are the guys. But I, personally, don't want you dragging Kif into this."

-

_The force of the blow sent him flying back to crack his head against the wall. His father stood over him, expression furious, and his mother sighed. "That's not the worst of it, darling," she complained, slipping off her coat. "Everyone at work things I'm a bad mother because my child is a delinquent. It's so hard to keep a good reputation going when _he _keeps messing things up for us."_

_"I'm sorry, baby," his father replied, stroking her hair and earning a smile. Then he brought his hand around and caught Kefrey in the jaw; the boy slid to the ground in a crumpled heap. His eyes remained emotionless, his expression empty. "What's wrong with this freak!? It's like he doesn't feel a thing!" Enraged, the man beat and kicked at him in an attempt to extract so much as a whimper from the unresponsive child._

_It was all a vain effort._

-

Itachi blinked, furrowing his brow a bit in confusion. Kisame said nothing; he never did. Itachi always liked to think things over, figure them out for himself, and Kisame had always allowed him to.

-

_He couldn't take it anymore. He saw an opportunity to escape and leapt for it. His mother left the house for another one of her formal dinners, and his father sat in front of the television set with a beer, out cold in less than an hour. Kif wandered up to his room on the second floor, shutting the door and pushing his dresser in front of it. He crossed to his window, sliding it open and sitting on the sill to swing his legs out unhesitantly. He climbed lithely onto the tree branch just outside his bedroom window, then reached back to push the window shut. He let himself fall to the ground, absorbing the shock through his ankles. He waited for a moment to make sure all was silent around his home, and then dashed out of the yard and into the dark streets._

_-_

_Kif, _Itachi thought silently, then realized.

-

_"So, wait," Itachi held up a hand. "What?"_

_"I told you." Kisame was engrossed in his ice cream, not bothering to spare Itachi a glance. "Almost all of the kids are homeless. A few of them ran away, and a few were ditched. You know."_

_"No, I meant--" Itachi scowled suddenly. "What the hell are you doing to your ice cream?"_

_Kisame looked up at this, surprised. "What? Is it too much?" His bowl was more chocolate (in the form of chocolate sprinkles, chocolate chips, chocolate whipped cream and chocolate syrup) than ice cream. Itachi reached over and took all of this away, leaving Kisame with nothing but his bowl of cavities and a spoon. "You're a cheapskate," he pouted, before brightening immediately and sinking his spoon into the concoction. He paused abruptly, an odd look crossing his face. Itachi was at his side immediately, steadying him._

_"Another attack?"_

_A mute nod. Itachi gritted his teeth, but knew there was little he could do besides watch Kisame's pained expression and wait for the boy to battle it out. After a few tense moments that seemed to stretch for an eternity, Kisame's expression eased gradually into a casual one. "Okay, all better!" he chirped, grabbing his spoon again._

_"Eat slowly," Itachi ordered. "I can't have you choking all over the tablecloth." Kisame made a face, before shoveling a spoonful into his mouth with a cat-like grin of ultimate content. "Now--what were you saying before about the kids?"_

_Kisame made a show of slowly swallowing his ice cream and taking a long drink of water, before he answered in a tone that had gone from careless to careful in less than an instant, "Ritsu and Ryouh came to me together. They didn't seem particularly close, but they seemed to have been traveling--well, surviving--together for awhile. They fit in really well with Suoh and Kyo." Suoh and Kyo were the identical twin boys of the group. Kisame happened upon them at the market as they were about to get caught stealing. They were grateful to him for his smooth intervention, and trailed after him like lonely puppies. _

_"And Kif?"_

_"Well...Kif's story's a bit different." He pushed back his bowl. "Notice how he always hangs around either the twins or us all the time? How he's always watching what we say and do really, really carefully?" Itachi admitted that yes, he did notice. "I've told you how he was beaten, right?" Itachi nodded. "Well...When he finally escaped, his mother was pregnant with a little boy. He's always watching us and Suoh and Kyo, because he's so..." Kisame shook his head. "He regrets not staying for longer. He regrets not meeting his little brother; not getting to see what he would look like; he regrets not being there to protect him in case his parents beat him as well. But..." Kisame smiled a little sadly, gazing at the table. "He says what he regrets most of all is not getting to feel what it's like to be a big brother. He wanted to be the unconditional love and kindness his little brother would have in the world. He wanted to be the one his little brother could turn to, always, no matter what."_

_Itachi was silent, staring hard out the window. He heard the chair creak, and glanced over to see Kisame offering him his bowl. "Ice cream calms the nerves," he said with a goofy smile, but something in his eyes was somber. Itachi relaxed with a bite and took a spoonful. _

_"A brother, huh?"_

--

"Itachi," Kif's voice was muffled, face in his hands. "Ita-Itachi, I'm so sorry...!"

_He only ever talks when he's apologizing._

"Don't be stupid," Itachi said quietly. "I haven't kicked Kisame out yet, and I've got plenty of excellent reasons to. His excuses aren't as good as yours are."

"The hell?! Admit it, I did _not _deserve that one!"

"All of you, go home. None of you need to be involved in this. I'm sorry for dragging you into it." Itachi cursed himself for his stupidity. Kyo, Suoh, Ryouh, Ritsu and Kif had no business killing anyone. (Neither did Kisame for that matter, but there was no getting rid of him.) They'd only come along for the ride, although Itachi knew that if he'd asked any of them to, they all would've shot down any one of Sasuke's friends without hesitation--

Because they trusted him enough to know for certain that if he ever told them to kill, there would be a practical reason behind it. They would assume this without asking and shoot. This went double for Kisame, whom they would trust their mortal souls to. Itachi gave them a look when they looked ready to protest; so Kyo and Suoh each put an arm around Kif and led him off, comforting him in sync, and Ryouh and Ritsu followed, both muttering about how unfair it was.

_This is it. _

Itachi's finger tightened around the trigger. The shot sounded; several voices screamed. Itachi's eyes widened; his intended target's eyes were wide as well, and blood fell onto his face from a face above his own.

Time stood still.

The very world around them stopped for a moment.

Sasuke glanced up from where he'd been hurled to the ground, and his eyes widened in horror. Naruto stood over him, hand clenched tightly over his shoulder, blood oozing from between his fingers. His face was contorted, and Kyuubi's yowls filled the air. The boy who'd rode in with him on the motorcycle was pulling off his helmet and rushing over, green eyes wide with terror.

Sasuke's lips parted and everyone heard him whisper:

"...Naruto?"

It was that single word, that single voiced name that brought reality crashing down around them once more. Naruto had thrown himself at Sasuke in the last second, pushing the raven-haired out of the way and, not for the first time, making himself a ready target for a bullet.

"Naruto?!" Temujin crouched to peer into Naruto's face, brushing sweaty blond hair back from his face. "Naruto, talk to me!"

Naruto grinned weakly, and muttered, "Yes...m...mother..."

Temujin's eyes filled with tears but he brushed them away impatiently. "Yeah, that's right," he said a little too loudly, "obey me! Now, come on, I'm taking you someplace safe." He tried to lead Naruto away, but Naruto refused to be moved. Although blood almost poured from the gunshot wound, his eyes were determined, his mouth set.

"I'm...not leaving..." he said, voice surprisingly strong despite how much effort it seemed to take him to speak. He turned to Sasuke, who was trembling hard. "Are...you oh...kay, Sa...suke?"

Naruto's friend, the one with the motorcycle, tore off his helmet, throwing it to the ground unceremoniously; the man behind the mask was about fifteen, with furious violet eyes that burned with an intense rage. Long raven hair falling around his shoulders, he threw a leg over his motorcycle and it roared to life. His eyes were set on the gunman, the one who'd shot Naruto, the one he'd _destroy--_

"Itachi!"

--

"What was that?"

Kakashi glanced up as well, scowling and letting the unconscious man in his grasp fall to the ground. He stepped on Shikaku's face as he made his way over to where Iruka was, and said, "It sounded like a gunshot."

Iruka's eyes tightened. "I know."

--

Itachi picked himself up of the ground, aware of the fire. Someone shot at the motorcycle, and, as dominos fall, one thing led to another and ultimately the bike exploded. (ID) It's driver bailed before it was too late, though, and was staring at them through the flames, the heat waves making his expression waver.

Then he realized--

"Kisame?" he asked, glancing around. His eyes found a crumpled form and flashed red. Scrambling to his feet, he rushed over to the blue-haired boy, checking his vitals. He hovered over him for a moment, before relaxing with a sigh. "You'll be fine," he assured the unconcious boy, "so don't worry."

He gazed through the fire at his little brother, who was shaking Naruto's arm, shouting for him to stay awake.

_"He says what he regrets most of all is not getting to feel what it's like to be a big brother. He wanted to be the unconditional love and kindness his little brother would have in the world. He wanted to be the one his little brother could turn to, always, no matter what."_

Itachi scooped Kisame up off the ground and headed for the car the others had left for him to get home with. "You and I are alike in one respect, Sasuke," he said quietly, stopping to gaze over his shoulder once more at his kid brother and the blond fox-boy. Itachi smiled, and turned away.

He had more important things to focus on than revenge, after all.

"In just one way, you and I are the same."

--

It was a mad rush to the hospital. Iruka was frantic, and Kakashi was so cool and calm it was downright frightening. The police arrested Shikaku, went after Itachi and his ment (who were long gone); an ambulance showed up for Naruto. Everything was chaotic, everything was noise, everything was a blur of color and a haze of sound.

--

"Shino!"

Shino froze at the sound of the voice that could only belong to his mother. They'd all been told to call their parents for a ride home; he'd been downright reluctant, but Naruto and Sasuke's adoptive father would hear no excuses.

His mother and father were there, in the hustle and bustle, the color and publicity of the hospital at midnight. His mother threw her arms around him, crying, "You had me so worried, sweetie!"

His father looked stern. "Where do you get off sneaking out of the house like that?" They were getting stares; Shino knew that this is what his parents had planned. They had this "I care a lot" act down--it was pretty suprising how well his parents acted, but he'd seen it before with their clients, so...

Kiba was bristling, which could only be a bad sign; he opened his mouth to say something, presumably unfriendly. Shino beat him to it. Gripping his friend's wrist, the boy said quietly, "Don't try to start caring this late in the game--you'll only hurt yourselves." Then he turned on his heel and started away, dragging Kiba with him. His mother wailed for him to come back, and his steady step wavered. But Kiba's hand tightened around his, and the reassurance that he was still there was all it took to strengthen his resolve.

His parents didn't follow.

"I'm proud of ya, mate," Kiba said quietly, when Shino stopped walking in another hallway. Shino's collar hid the lower half of his face, his glasses covering the rest, and he didn't make a sound; but somehow, someway, Kiba wasn't fooled. Akamaru at his feet, he turned and pulled Shino into a hug; his arms were tight around him, a clear sign that Kiba would not let go until he was certain Shino felt even a tiny bit better.

Shino never thought--never once imagined--that one day, he would have a friend like Kiba. Someone to defend him, protect him, laugh at him and (at least try to) make him laugh; someone who knew when words of encouragement were needed, and when silence was best.

Someone who just stood there, acting the anchor, holding him tightly and not letting go. Someone who said nothing and let him battle it out himself. Someone who wasn't afraid to be strong for him.

His arms crept up and he returned the embrace, needing the comfort of the unconditional friendship now, more than ever. Kiba stood silently, letting him cry; he never said a word, only stood there and hugged him, Akamaru curling up on his feet, to be his comfort for however long he needed it.

Kiba was just like Chouji and Naruto in one respect; he had nothing against being the support, and he would never ask it of someone else. He fell into his place in life and took care of the responsibilities on his end, because it just seemed sometimes like the only thing he could do.

--

Neji let his mother rock him, loving the feeling of being held in her arms. She'd been upset; he'd scared her. He was guilt-stricken about that, but knew he'd do the same thing a thousand times over, given a chance to go back. His friends needed him, and he'd gone to help. Despite the fear--despite staring death in the face--it was the best feeling he'd ever had. He'd thought about it, and came to the conclusion that he could face down anything if his friends were with him. Rushing to help Shikamaru and Chouji, Lee at his side; meeting up with Shino and Kiba, watching Sasuke arrive with Gaara, Naruto's entrance with Temujin, the amazing relief of knowing they were all together, knowing that he had a part in it...

It had been such an amazing feeling.

His eyes drifted over to where Lee sat with his uncle, head rested on the man's shoulder. Gai had an arm around the green-clad youth, saying something to him in a very quiet tone (unlike his normal boisterous self), and Lee was smiling sleepily at whatever it was he was hearing. TenTen was on his other side, holding his hand; she glanced up when she felt Neji's eyes on her, and smiled at him.

She mouthed, "Some party."

He smiled.

--

Chouji was fast asleep, head rested on Shikamaru's shoulder. He looked exhausted, and even though Shikamaru was thirstier than hell, he didn't have the heart to move and wake him. Choza was on Chouji's other side, stroking the sleeping boy's hair. Yoshino was on his other side, talking to a doctor. He glanced around the room; his friends surrounded him, they were all here, they were all alive...

_Naruto..._

But he knew Naruto would be okay. Because if there's anyone who would be too stubborn to die, it would be Naruto. Everything would end fine.

With that comforting thought, he rested his head on Chouji's, his eyes slid closed, and he slept.

--

Temujin stroked Naruto's hair gently, eyes softening; the crimson of his gaze had been replaced by a sparkling green--when, no one could say. Hiro stood at the window, back to the room; he said nothing. Sasuke sat on Naruto's other side, clutching the blond's hand with both his own, dark eyes desperately fixated on the scarred face.

When Naruto's eyes slid open, Temujin inhaled sharply, fingers stilling, while Sasuke whispered hoarsely, "...Naruto?"

Those gorgeous blue eyes blinked once, twice. They slid from the ceiling over to Temujin, to Hiro at the window; to Gaara who laid beside him, then to Sasuke.

"I'm up," he muttered weakly, smiling despite it all. They all laughed, pressing forward; Temujin ran out to tell everyone he was alright, which resulted in a mad crowding into the room, and Hiro sat down on the bed to stroke the hair from his face. Iruka and Kakashi hovered over him, scolding him profusely for being an idiot--Temari and Kankuro were excellent backup.

"Come on guys," he protested with a grin, "did you really think I'd die from something like this?"

In the end, it was the sickness that killed him.

**A/N: -sigh- I feel so bad. No, really. I'm delirious. But other than that, I feel bad about how shitty this chapter is. It was hard to do, and I have Writer's Block...;A; Jeezis I'm tired...**

**EPILOGUE will PWNT. Maybe. I don't want any high expectations, but I'll try to raise the bar (off the floor). Please review!**


	22. Epilogue

**Here's the epilogue! Hope you enjoy! Not much to say here...I'm eager for your reviews!! xD;**

_Broken Glass-_

_Epilogue_

If there was ever a more desolate day in any of their lives, they were hard-pressed to think of it. Nothing came close to even brushing the surface of the deep agony they felt. Nothing prepared them for what they would see as soon as they walked through those doors. Nothing prepared them for the suffocating hurt.

Gaara kept crying; he cried hard--the tears came without end. Temari and Kakuro were at his side, protecting him from the world. His hand clutched Sasuke's, but the latter was of no comfort to him.

Sasuke's eyes were fixed on the casket where his brother lied. He wondered vaguely what was going on; how could the world still be turning? He was aware of movement all around him. His father sat on his left, Kakashi on his right. Both never made any move to get up; they would stay with him, one on either side, being his protection, his shelter from the outside world. Somewhere, Sasuke realized that Iruka would probably like very much to at least gaze one last time at the boy that would always mean the world to him. He knew he was always going to be second-best in his father's heart, but he didn't mind.

His brother had meant the world to him, as well.

He was aware of the pain that filled the room; the overwhelming pain that left him wanting to cry and cry and cry. He wished he had the courage to cry. So many others around him were sobbing openly, weeping into each other's arms. They kept sobbing his brother's name, voices catching and breaking. He knew that if he took his eyes off that coffin, he would see nothing but heartbreak and tears. He knew that if he saw that, there would be little from stopping his carefully, painstakingly constructed walls and barriers to come crashing down in an instant, dissolving so easily it was as though they were never there.

Why did so much of his life seem bleak and unimportant?

He wouldn't be able to walk down the hall, into his bedroom without thinking of him. He wouldn't be able to sit down in class without having to stop himself from glancing over and realizing the desk next to his was empty. He wouldn't be able to sleep at night, knowing that should he wake up, there would be no kind voice to chase away the nightmares. He wouldn't be able to go into that little pub down the street for whatever reason, because he knew that he would be waiting for that smile, for that cheer and the cry of, _"Come on, Sasuke!"_

He would never see his brother again. He knew that, and it hurt. It hurt so much he couldn't breathe. His lungs labored, his heart flailed. His body seemed to be on the brink of a major break-down. His vision was almost gray; he could see nothing but what was right in front of him--the casket. And no one seemed to want to go near it; because what it held was the only evidence of the world that their hearts were truly breaking.

He'd never understood that phrase before; could a heart truly break? He'd scoffed at those words; _"A heart can't break! Even if it was physically possible, no one could ever be _that _upset about something." _He remembered saying it with Naruto at his side, the blond reading what Sasuke had read over the former Uchiha's shoulder. Sasuke remembered waiting for the blue-eyed boy to start laughing with him and agree; he remembered Naruto's thoughtful expression, his questioning eyes and his soft, _"I guess."_

Did he know? Did he believe even then, so long ago, that one could truly experience a pain the likes of which could render one breathless? He had to have known.

_I think this is how that author felt. _Sasuke's hand crept up to grip the front of his shirt in a tight fist. _I think this is what he was describing. _He wanted desperately to cry. _It hurts so bad... _He stood. slipping his hand out of Gaara's. He walked slowly to the casket, gazing down upon his brother's still face. Curled up on his chest was Kyuubi; the fox had died at the same instant Naruto had--they were together even in death. Someone whose job it was to work with the corpse had arranged one of Naruto's hands to be resting on the fox. It was eerie--he'd slept like that a lot. Sasuke reached down and stroked the blond hair back from his little brother's face, feeling his eyes burn.

_Why? Why couldn't you have told someone that you were still sick? Your organs were failing, Naruto--your body was shutting down. Why didn't you say anything? You could have said something--you could have let dad know at least. _Dad. Sasuke risked a glance back and felt what little was left of his world fall away; Iruka was outright crying now that Sasuke had gone, face hidden in his hands, and Kakashi had an arm around him, head bowed to hide his expression.

He turned away again to save himself from seeing that for even a second longer, to look upon his brother once more. "You were always there for me," he found himself whispering, reaching a hand down to stroke his brother's hair. "I took you for granted, didn't I? I don't know what I'll do now--I don't know whose left..."

"You're an ungrateful little bastard." Sasuke glanced up in surprise, shocked to see Hiro standing over him. "You think you're alone?" Hiro jabbed a thumb over his shoulder. "All of the people in this room care about you, and want to see you happy. They know you're suffering, and it hurts them all the more. They're in just as much pain as you are because of that."

Sasuke shut his eyes for a moment, then opened them again; his gaze swept over the crowd. All his friends were there, and all of them--all of them--were crying. He realized suddenly how many people had crowded into the small room; his classmates, his father and Kakashi, Kurenai Ms. Tsunade, Old Man Jiraiya, Cook, Temari, Kankuro, Hiro and Temujin, several children Naruto had known, all of his friends' parents, several doctors and nurses from the hospital...

Blinking because his eyes burned suddenly, Sasuke glanced over in time to see the purple-eyed boy lean over the coffin and gently touch Naruto's face with careful fingers. "This kid..." Hiro said softly, "...he knew about that. He was always smiling, even when he was close to death, because he knew it would hurt his loved ones to see him suffering." The violet eyes pinned Sasuke with an unforgiving stare. "And unlike you, he never once thought he was alone--because he _trusted _his friends. He trusted us enough to share his smiles with us." Sasuke knew what he meant; there was nothing more precious in the world than Naruto's smile.

Suddenly, Hiro's gaze grew distant, and his expression hurt and lost. "You weren't supposed to die, kid. You were so little." He rested his forehead against the rim of the casket for a moment, not trusting himself to speak. Sasuke remained silent, feeling, somehow, out of place. Hiro must have remembered he was there, because he spoke again.

"He didn't hide his tears because he didn't trust us--rather because he wanted to protect us from his pain." Hiro leaned down and kissed the boy's forehead, before pulling back and turning away; his final farewell. Sasuke had the feeling he'd turned to hide his face; was the older boy crying? _Is he protecting me from his pain?_ "You'd do well to take a leaf out of his book. Naruto was someone you could learn from."

Sasuke felt his world spiral as the dark-haired boy turned away. Everyone had avoided saying his name; everything connected to it laid dormant in Sasuke's heart.

_**"Hey! Sasuke! Let's be pals, 'kay?"**_

"_**Okay, Naruto. You'll be okay."**_

"_**I was scared."**_

_**"Sasuke, you never answered my question."**_

_**"I'll never leave again. I'm sorry."**_

_**"He was always alone--like us, Sasuke."**_

_**"I can't really explain what love is. It's a feeling that can't really be described with words." **_

_**"Family's got to stick together."**_

_**"Did you really thing I'd die from something like this?"**_

He collapsed to the ground, sobbing heavily into his knees. Everything was clamoring around inside his head, and he couldn't sort through it. Naruto's voice was loud inside his mind; his eyes were bright and his laugh was light.

And suddenly, thinking about him didn't seem to hurt so much. He started thinking of all the times they'd shared together, from that moment in the hospital, down to Naruto's dying breath. Naruto hadn't always smiled; there were times when he was downright angsty, but that made his smiles so much more real--_none _of his smiles had _ever _been fake. Forced, maybe, but never fake. When he smiled, it was always from the heart; a smile to make himself stronger. A smile to remind himself that as long as he _could _smile, there was nothing that could ever touch him.

_Everything will be okay, as long as people can just smile and let it go. Smile and nod, cheerfully agree, not upset the balance. _

Sasuke realized with a start how disappointed Naruto would be in him--and for several reasons. He'd wallowed in survivor's guilt and self-pity for long enough; he stood slowly, feeling the heavy weight of all his responsibilities settle on his shoulders. He glanced briefly at Naruto--no, at Naruto's corpse; the real Naruto was someplace different with his fox--a place where it rained a lot, where Naruto could go barefoot, and run and run and run without a care--for real this time--in the world.

Sasuke's eyes lifted to the ceiling. "Naruto," he said quietly. "I'm sorry. I'll do better this time." And he turned. He was met with his sobbing companions; and suddenly he could understand Hiro's anger with him. But first things first, he sought out the sobbing Gaara, and lifted him into his arms. He _shhhh_ed him for a moment, before looking out over the room. "OY!" he shouted, "all of you! Shut the hell up and listen to me!"

And it had to have been the utter surprise and relief to be back in routine that they all subconsciously felt that made a hush fall over the room.

"Naruto's dead," Sasuke said quietly. He felt the tears in his eyes and ignored them. Gaara rested his head against Sasuke's shoulder, and the raven-haired felt the strength to continue, "We all know that. Tears won't bring him back." He stopped, choking back sobs so he wouldn't be a hypocrite. _Be strong. _Naruto's voice rushed through him, soothing him. _I'm here. _He wasn't sure if he was imagining it or not, be he sure as hell wasn't going to question the courage the phantom whisper gave him. He clenched his fists. "He's gone for now--but we'll see him again!" Gaara smiled at his words now; he didn't know exactly what they meant, but they made him feel better. "I'm sure he's waiting for us! He wouldn't go anywhere without us, you know that! But before we see him again, we've got to make sure we live up to our promise." He saw the confusion in his audience's eyes and felt triumph; they'd quit crying for the most part. "When we agreed to be his friend, we were promising loyalty and faith to him...I'm sure he's crying."

Instantly, everyone's eyes flickered up to the ceiling. Sasuke continued, "I don't want to cause him any more pain, now that he's up there." _Because if anyone deserves Heaven, it's Naruto. _"So let's do our best to live the way he'd want us to live." Sasuke fell silent, waiting for a response.

It came from Hiro, who lounged against a wall with a smirk. "You mean with a good dose of kicking-assness in our daily lives?" He startled a laugh from the majority of the room.

"Sorry, man!" Kiba was shouting now, rubbing his face with a sleeve. "Dude, I didn't mean it!" And everyone too was laughing, and wiping the tears from their eyes, and claiming they'd never cry over his death again because he'd probably come back to haunt them if they did. And then suddenly they were near tears again, because Naruto was so selfless, even in death.

"How dismal," the funeral director, who'd been quiet up till now said. Everyone turned at the sound of his voice. "Rain," he said, gesturing out the large window. "The angels must be weeping."

_Rain._

"But the sun was shining a moment ago," Neji's mother said, looking astounded. An awed silence fell over the room; and then Temujin was on his feet and out the door. Sasuke was hot on his heels, dragging Gaara with him. He couldn't get out the doors fast enough; he rushed outside and turned his gaze to the sky to feel the rain on his face.

--

_"Pretty big storm, soon."_

_"Naruto said he likes rain."_

_Iruka chuckled. "A storm is to him as a lullaby to an infant."_

_--_

The rain fell lightly from light gray clouds. Temujin and Sasuke stood together in the rain, a deeper understanding then they could've ever believed possible flowing between them. Back inside, the rest of class 302 as well as Hiro's gang was clamoring to get outside. Everything was a roar of confusion; Hiro sat serenely in the window, letting the rain fall onto him from the awning. "This is your goodbye, isn't it, buddy?" he said softly. "This is your farewell."

Everytime it rained from that moment onward, from a light sprinkle to a heavy downpour, they were reminded of the one who'd left them behind. No matter what they were doing, a scarred grin would surface in their minds and they would stop their tasks and smile, and usually have to trot out into the rain to sit and be with him. Every year on the day of his death, they would come from miles around to gather together and celebrate his life at his grave. It was usually a big party; the cemetery was never more alive. And every year, without fail, when the last of their group arrived and they were together again and whole, a light drizzle would begin to fall; a warm rain that left them smiling. When the party died down, they'd sit together under their umbrellas and just be silent, listening to the pattering on the leaves and ground and tombstones and sidewalk.

And they would be relieved and content and at peace--because he was with them in the rain.

_Owari_

**A/N: All I can say is **_**thank you thank you thank you! **_**You guys have been great from the start; I couldn't ask for better readers! In fact, if I remember correctly, I think I've only gotten one **_**real **_**flame for this story, and even then, it wasn't just a mindless bashing of my intellect. You were all really patient, and I'm very grateful! E3 I'll miss you!**

**(Btw, Kyuubi was pushing ten years old. -**.**- Twasn't a young little foxit anymore.)**


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